Berlin protest vigil highlights Cuban healthcare crisis

A continuous 24-hour protest vigil titled ‘No war on Cuba! We need Cuba! And Cuba needs us!’ is taking place in front of the US Embassy in Berlin. The event includes discussions, cultural contributions, and lectures aimed at fostering solidarity and raising awareness regarding the situation in Cuba.

During the vigil, speakers highlighted a severe healthcare crisis in Cuba attributed to the long-standing US blockade. According to a report from the director of Havana’s Miguel-Enríquez Hospital, 300 out of 395 essential medicines in the Cuban basic plan are currently unavailable. The humanitarian impact includes 100,000 people on surgical waiting lists, including 12,000 children, and critical shortages in electricity for dialysis patients and refrigeration for vaccines.

Data presented to the UN Human Rights Council indicates a decline in the survival rate of children and adolescents with cancer from 85 to 65 percent, alongside an increase in infant mortality rates since 2018. The protest is scheduled to continue through Saturday, concluding with a symbolic encirclement of the US Embassy and a concert.