The group, composed primarily of young people, visited two pediatric care centers—the Juan Manuel Márquez Hospital and the William Soler Cardiology Center—followed by the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology.

During their visits, they witnessed the effects of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by Washington on the island nation; through great effort and sacrifice, they had managed to acquire various types of medicines, including those used for cancer patients.

Elias Gracia, president of the Cuban Society of Oncology, Radiotherapy, and Nuclear Medicine, noted that US measures against Cuba directly impact cancer patient care by limiting access to essential medicines, supplies, and treatment technologies.

Gracia explained that the country’s power grid situation, combined with water and transportation issues, hinders life-saving efforts, though alternatives are constantly sought to ensure quality care.

New cases are diagnosed daily, and cancer is a leading cause of death in the country, where machinery and equipment often suffer technical failures; repairing them or purchasing new ones is costly for the State, remarked the head of Medical Oncology Services.

The head of the National Oncology Group pointed out that conducting financial transactions is highly complex due to the sanctions Washington has imposed on Havana.

“What is happening in Cuba is real,” stated the president of the Cuban Society of Oncology, Radiotherapy, and Nuclear Medicine.

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