A Cuban woman has reported the theft of her sister's purse at the Lenin General University Hospital in Holguín, where she was attending to her father, who had been hospitalized for over a week.
The stolen items included personal documents, bank cards, the patient's retirement checkbook, and even medications the family had to purchase due to the hospital's lack of supplies, explained the young woman identified as Yelina Betancourt on Facebook.
According to her account, the theft occurred at night, and the stolen purse contained a cellphone, identity card, bank cards, the father's retirement checkbook, and the patient's medications, all purchased outside the hospital due to a shortage of supplies. They also had to buy disposable diapers on their own.
The video accompanying the complaint shows the father's bed infested with bedbugs. "Look at my dad, right here, and this is all full of bedbugs, look at that filth," the video's author is heard saying.
Widespread Healthcare Collapse
Beyond the theft, the post describes a healthcare system on the brink of collapse: medical equipment at the hospital is broken, preventing diagnostic tests, leaving doctors unable to determine if the patient suffers from ischemia, a heart attack, or paralysis. There are also no supplies for laboratory tests.
"Everything is based on medical judgment because the equipment is broken. It's a disgrace for those responsible for repairing such important hospital equipment, and there's nothing for conducting tests," lamented Yelina.
Ongoing Reports of Neglect and Theft
Since mid-2025, Lenin Hospital has been the subject of numerous similar complaints. In August of that year, patients and families reported infestations of bedbugs and cockroaches, bathrooms without water, collapsed ceilings, and spoiled food.
Months later, a video showed a patient being transported in a chair due to the lack of stretchers, with no serum or syringes available. By October 2025, power outages left patients without hemodialysis.
Theft: A Growing Trend in Cuban Hospitals
The pattern of thefts within Cuban hospitals has also become widespread by 2026. In August, thefts of personal belongings were reported in Santiago de Cuba hospitals with systemic surveillance failures, and a guard was killed in a vehicle theft at the Las Tunas hospital parking lot. A resident doctor in Cienfuegos also reported the theft of her laptop containing thesis data and documents inside a hospital.
This situation forces the families of patients to provide resources themselves, making them vulnerable targets for thieves within the hospital facilities.
According to data on the Cuban healthcare crisis collected by Infobae, 461 of 651 essential medications were unavailable in state pharmacies as of April 2026, a deficit of over 70% of the basic list.
"What a sad reality we live in my Cuba," Yelina Betancourt concluded in her post.
Understanding the Crisis at Lenin Hospital
What items were stolen from Yelina's sister at Lenin Hospital?
The stolen items included a cellphone, identity card, bank cards, the father's retirement checkbook, medications, and disposable diapers.
What are the reported conditions of Lenin Hospital?
The hospital is plagued with broken medical equipment, lack of diagnostic capabilities, infestations, and shortages of essential supplies.
How widespread is theft in Cuban hospitals?
Theft is a growing issue in Cuban hospitals, with reports of stolen items in various locations due to inadequate security measures.