CAMAGÜEY.— Amid the enormous difficulties caused by the U.S. government’s policy of tightening the economic siege against Cuba, the Manuel Ascunce Domenech Provincial Clinical-Surgical Teaching Hospital in Camagüey continues to provide care for more than 150 chronic kidney patients who depend on hemodialysis to stay alive.

 The testimonies of Santiago Acosta Gamboa and young Ainier Daniel Mirabal attest to the professionalism and dedication of the hospital’s medical and nursing staff. Despite shortages of supplies and the reduction to two dialysis sessions per week, both patients emphasize that they have never been left without treatment and that, at every session, healthcare workers do everything in their power to save lives.

Dr. Jenny Rodríguez Lino, head of the Hemodialysis Service, explains that only 15 dialysis machines are currently operational due to breakdowns and the inability to obtain spare parts as a result of the restrictions imposed on Cuba.

“We have the same number of patients, and we have to keep every one of them alive. That is why the sessions have been adjusted to four hours, twice a week,” she says.

 Power outages further complicate the situation. Many of the machines have lost their batteries and shut down automatically, forcing nurses to manually maintain blood circulation to prevent clotting.

 One relief for patients has been the addition of a fleet of 10 electric vehicles dedicated to transporting them to and from treatment. Comfortable and well suited to the task, the vehicles allow patients to continue living at home with their families rather than having to remain hospitalized. The patients themselves commend the drivers for their discipline and punctuality, which helps sustain the quality of the service despite the limitations.

 Patients receiving peritoneal dialysis are also cared for, although this service has likewise been affected by shortages. Nevertheless, no kidney patient in Camagüey has been left without treatment.

 Patients and their families recognize the heroic efforts of healthcare workers, who face day after day the consequences of the U.S. blockade and energy siege against Cuba—policies they describe as genocidal and as placing the health and lives of the most vulnerable at risk.

Nephrology services in Camagüey stand as an example of resilience and human commitment, where doctors, nurses, and transportation workers have become the protagonists of a daily struggle to save lives.

Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez