{
  "id": 6786934,
  "title": "Cuba's healthcare system stumbles as fuel cuts and shortages take hold",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/cubas-healthcare-system-stumbles-as-fuel-cuts-and-shortages-take-hold-6786934",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-11T18:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2026/09/11/cuba-healthcare-hospitals-fuel/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An elderly woman in Havana fell and may have broken her hip, prompting her neighbors to seek medical assistance. However, the local hospital is overwhelmed due to shortages of supplies and underpaid staff, leaving many residents unable to access necessary care. The Cuban healthcare system, while well-structured on paper, has been severely impacted by economic restrictions, including the US fuel embargo and sanctions, which have led to chronic shortages and power outages. Dr. Steven Ullman, an expert in health management, notes that while Cuba has developed its own resources and medical expertise, the sanctions and economic challenges have pushed the system to its breaking point. Street medicine has become a necessity for many, with people relying on patients from abroad and local charitable organizations to obtain the medicines they need. Despite the shortages, Cubans are pooling resources and donations from outside the country to support their healthcare needs. The blame for the current situation lies with both the US embargo and the Cuban government, creating a complex and difficult situation for the island's residents.",
  "summary": "An elderly woman living in the Habana Centro neighbourhood of the Cuban capital has had a bad fall. Her neighbours on the quiet residential street think she may have broken her hip, and they climb up and down the narrow stairs to her apartment to see what she needs. As the neighbours wait on the pavement for the woman's family to arrive, a grim debate about what to do next takes place. One person…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Cuba's healthcare system stumbles as fuel cuts and shortages take hold",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/cubas-healthcare-system-stumbles-as-fuel-cuts-and-shortages-take-hold",
        "published": "2026-09-11T18:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}