Cuban Health System Pushed to Brink as Fuel Blockade Disrupts Care

Cuban health officials warned on Feb. 20, 2026 that hospitals, ambulances and supply chains are under severe strain as the government attributes a sharp fuel cutoff to a blockade of the island’s oil supply. Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda said, "You cannot damage a state's economy without affecting its inhabitants," and warned, "This situation could put lives at risk."

The Ministry of Public Health reported persistent power outages in deteriorated hospitals and said ambulances are struggling to find fuel to respond to emergencies. Officials also said flights that bring vital medical supplies have been suspended because Cuba cannot refuel airplanes at its airports, and some carriers have declined service; commercial aviation shortages have compounded access problems for reagents, medicines and spare parts.

The ministry and health leaders supplied hard numbers to show scale. Portal and ministry figures indicate roughly 5 million people living with chronic illnesses could see medications or treatments affected, while 16,000 cancer patients require radiotherapy and another 12,400 are undergoing chemotherapy. Separate ministry counts cited more than 32,880 mothers-to-be and more than 61,830 infants under one year old who could face significant disruptions to obstetric ultrasound, genetic studies and childhood vaccination schedules.

Hospitals are reporting mounting operational gaps. Clinics and special wards face shortages of reagents, disposable materials, medical instruments and spare parts that sustain operating rooms and intensive care units, the ministry said. Photographs from Havana locations captured the strain: doctors assisting a birth at Ramón González Coro Maternity Hospital and cancer patient Carolina Silva Matos resting in a bed at the National Institute of Oncology and Radiology during timed power interruptions and constrained services.

Fuel availability is central to the crisis. Cuba produces about 40 percent of its own fuel and has relied on shipments from allies to fill the gap; officials say those flows have dried up in recent weeks. The government announced a run on commercial aviation fuel, and one carrier informed authorities it would not operate flights in or out while refueling is unavailable. On the ground, bus routes have been slashed, gasoline is rationed and sales are increasingly conducted only in foreign currency, increasing freight costs and complicating the import of medicines.

Authorities say mitigation steps are underway: solar panels have been installed in some clinics and care is being prioritized for children and the elderly. Health workers across hospitals and primary care centers continue routine services where possible, the ministry noted, even as shortages intensify.

The government attributes the disruption to what it calls a U.S. blockade of oil supplies and cites recent policy moves restricting fuel access; an executive order dated Jan. 29 and reported threats of tariffs against third countries that might send fuel to Cuba figure into that account. One report also alleges that the cutoff followed an attack on Venezuela with the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife; that specific allegation has not been corroborated more broadly. The ministry warned the combined effect of fuel scarcity, blackouts and supply-chain breakdowns is directly contributing to rising mortality risk unless fuel and medical supply lines are restored.