Cuba Reports Lower Cancer Survival Rate and Disrupted Medical Care

A report published Monday by Cuban state-run media said child cancer survival rates have dropped to 65 percent from 85 percent since energy restrictions began in January. The same report stated that nearly 3,000 dialysis patients have had treatment schedules disrupted and that 100,000 children under age seven no longer receive a daily liter of milk previously supplied by the state.

The report also said the country's 16-vaccine infant immunization program is at risk and that 100,000 people remain on waiting lists for surgery. It added that 300 of 395 essential medicines produced domestically are unavailable because of shortages of chemical components.

The report attributed the shortages to a lack of fuel shipments after the United States restricted oil deliveries from Venezuela and warned other countries against supplying oil to Cuba. It said about 1,400 megawatts of generating capacity are offline due to diesel and fuel-oil shortages and that larger plants lack spare parts that cannot be transported.

Bread supplies have fallen to roughly half previous levels because of logistical and payment hurdles in wheat purchases, the report stated. It added that fuel shortages have prevented distribution of 170 containers of essential goods. Cuba maintains a system of free universal healthcare, but the report said the system faces strain from resource shortages, fuel scarcity, and power outages that can last more than 20 hours.

The report concluded that the measures amount to collective punishment of the Cuban population.