Cuba has plenty of doctors. So why is its healthcare system collapsing?
Since January 2026, many Cubans have lived a life of near-constant darkness. The Trump administration’s oil blockades have led the country into a worsening energy crisis, collapsing what was already an eroding national power grid. Daily blackouts have plunged the Cuban nationalized, universal health system, once the pride of the country, into a humanitarian crisis. […]
Cuba boasts a large number of doctors, yet its healthcare system is crumbling. After years of fuel and water shortages, Cubans now face a dire public health crisis, exacerbated by daily blackouts and a collapsing national power grid. The crisis is revealing the fragility of universal healthcare systems, which rely on numerous infrastructure elements beyond accessible medical services.
Cuba's model of universal healthcare, once a promising example, has proven to be resilient only due to its unique circumstances. The current collapse is a result of new U.S. blockades, Hurricane Melissa, and the country's reliance on Venezuela for economic support.
Written by urgent.news from Vox's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
