The Maternal North Hospital Tamara Bunke in Santiago de Cuba has received an ambulance from St. Petersburg, Russia, as part of the 52nd anniversary of the sister-city relationship between the two cities, celebrated in November, as reported by CMKC Radio Revolución.
This vehicle, marked with the phrase "Gift from St. Petersburg to Santiago de Cuba," will be integrated into the provincial Integrated Medical Emergency System (SIUM), prioritizing the Maternal and Child Care Program.
Health, Party, and Government officials from the province were present at the handover ceremony.
The ambulance is equipped with specialized technology for the safe transport of newborns and expectant mothers, including cardiac monitoring systems, ventilation, and refrigeration units to maintain blood and fluids at the correct temperature.
The Santiago unit is part of a batch of three neonatal ambulances donated by St. Petersburg to Cuba—one each for Havana, Matanzas, and Santiago de Cuba—which arrived on the island via the Mariel port in August 2026.
The official delivery of these three units took place in early October at the Ramón González Coro Gynecobstetric Teaching Hospital in Havana, attended by representatives from the Russian Embassy in Cuba.
The promise to donate these vehicles was made by St. Petersburg Governor Aleksandr Beglov during his visit to Cuba in November 2025.
This donation comes at a critical time for Cuba's medical transport system, as the Ministry of Public Health has acknowledged that the country possesses only 39.6% of the ambulances needed.
In Santiago de Cuba, the situation was dire: at the beginning of 2026, SIUM reported having no operational units, and in April of that year, a man died after waiting over four hours for an ambulance. His family claimed the vehicle could not be dispatched until it had four patients due to fuel restrictions.
The Maternal North Hospital Tamara Bunke is the leading gynecobstetric center in eastern Cuba, equipped with over 180 beds—30 of which are for neonatology—and handles approximately 3,000 births annually.
Health cooperation between St. Petersburg and Cuba has intensified recently; in March 2026, Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Óscar Pérez-Oliva traveled to St. Petersburg to enhance bilateral cooperation in health, education, culture, and the biopharmaceutical industry. In April of that year, the Russian city also donated medications specifically for Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba.
The sister-city relationship between Santiago de Cuba and St. Petersburg—formerly Leningrad—dates back to around 1974. In November 2024, the 50th anniversary was celebrated with cultural activities and the signing of a library cooperation agreement between the two cities.
CMKC Radio Revolución noted, "The delivery takes place as the SIUM in the province reorganizes its resources to improve responses to obstetric and neonatal emergencies."
Key Aspects of the St. Petersburg Ambulance Donation
Why did St. Petersburg donate an ambulance to Santiago de Cuba?
The donation was made to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the sister-city relationship between St. Petersburg and Santiago de Cuba, and to support the critical needs of the Maternal and Child Care Program in the Cuban province.
What specialized equipment does the ambulance contain?
The ambulance is equipped with specialized technology, including cardiac monitoring systems, ventilation, and refrigeration units to ensure the safe transport of newborns and expectant mothers.
How does this donation impact Santiago de Cuba?
This donation is crucial for Santiago de Cuba, where the medical transport system is severely lacking. It will help improve emergency responses, especially for maternal and neonatal care.