“Nowhere is the devastation of this blockade more evident than in the health system. Cuba’s preventative health system has been the envy of the world with more doctors per capita than any other country, but it is now suffering.”
By UNISON
UNISON has a long-standing commitment to Cuba. The country has faced more than six decades of US economic, commercial and financial sanctions. Yet despite this, Cuba has developed a globally respected public health system which, until recently, was the envy of many countries.
However during Trump’s two terms in office, the US has imposed more than 240 additional punitive measures against Cuba.
According to Cuba’s latest report to the UN, it estimates economic losses of over US$7.6 billion in one year alone, including US$290 damage to the health sector. Hospitals are facing critical shortages and over half of the 651 medicines on Cuba’s essential medicines list are currently unavailable.
A motion was brought at national delegate conference to renew UNISON’s support for the Cuban cause. It also called for the UK government to lobby the US to remove Cuba from its list of countries that are claimed to support state-sponsored terror. This list deters foreign investment, restricts access to international banking and threatens both Cuba’s domestic healthcare and its international medical programme.
“Our union has proud history of supporting Cuban comrades,” said one delegate, speaking at national conference in Brighton. “Nowhere is the devastation of this blockade more evident than in the health system. Cuba’s preventative health system has been the envy of the world with more doctors per capita than any other country, but it is now suffering, with operations being performed by torchlight and a lack of essential medicines.”
A delegate from the union’s national young members forum, who went to Cuba with a small group UNISON’s Scottish young members recently, said: “We visited a number of public service workplaces where we saw the appalling impact of the US blockade. I was so impressed by the incredible resilience of our colleagues and trade union members in Cuba, but this blockade is a direct attack on workers.”
Shortages of contraception, condoms, vitamins, folic acid and early pregnancy tests have further harmed women’s productive health and this was evident on the UNISON member’s visit. He explained: “We visited a residential care home which provides medical support for women with high-risk pregnancies. Historically Cuba has had high quality sexual health education, but the blockade had led to an increase in unwanted pregnancies and infant mortality.”
As a result of the blockade, the number of deaths per live births has increased by over 50% from 5 to 8.2 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The motion was passed unanimously.
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- This article was originally published by UNISON on 18 June 2026.
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