Irisleydis Trista, 34, has endured two surgeries and dozens of radiation treatments over the past four years due to a recurring tumor.

She is supposed to undergo a CT scan every three to six months for follow-up monitoring, but she has already gone seven months without being able to get one.

This is because the CT scanner at Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana, one of Cuba's top medical institutions, is broken.

To make matters worse, medical staff have informed her that further surgery is impossible due to power shortages, frequent equipment failures, and a lack of resources.

"There is no way to know right now if the cancer has grown or not," Trista said. "I feel like my life is at risk every day."

Cuba's pride, its universal free healthcare system, is rapidly collapsing.

This is due to the tightening of U.S. sanctions, which intensified following events involving Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January, leading to shortages of humanitarian aid, medical equipment parts, and electricity.

According to a recent report by the Associated Press, hospitals across Cuba are struggling to secure even basic medical supplies such as syringes, gauze, vaccines, and anesthetics.

Essential medical equipment, such as hemodialysis machines and CT scanners, are being left broken due to a lack of replacement parts, leaving critical patients like Trista unable to receive timely treatment.

According to an official report released by the Cuban government last month, the survival rate for children with cancer, which had reached 85% before U.S. energy sanctions intensified in January of this year, has plummeted to 65% in just six months.

Yoraini Romero, a specialist in the pediatric ward at the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology in Havana, said, "Children are actually dying. Two have already died this year alone. The situation is truly devastating."

She added that for patients coming from rural areas, "It is common for them to arrive at the hospital a week or even two weeks late for their treatment schedules because they cannot find transportation due to fuel shortages."

While the situation in hospitals is deteriorating, things are trending in an even worse direction.

The Cuban Electric Union announced on July 6 (local time) that a nationwide blackout occurred as the power grid collapsed.

This is the first major blackout since mid-March, approximately four months ago.

Local hospitals, which were already barely surviving on emergency generators amid frequent power outages, are expected to face a catastrophic medical crisis due to this latest blackout.

Mario Cruz Penate, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Cuba, stated, "The current situation is truly shocking," adding that Cuba's healthcare services are facing severe disruptions due to fuel shortages.

He further pointed out that this is having a fatal impact not only on medical procedures themselves but on the entire process of patients continuing their treatment.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)