Italian Medical Professionals Protest US Embargo on Cuba

More than 8,000 Italian medical and scientific professionals have formally challenged the 65-year US embargo on Cuba, citing a humanitarian catastrophe within the island’s healthcare system. The signatories warn that intensifying economic sanctions and energy blockades have pushed the nation’s once-lauded health infrastructure toward total collapse.

In an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Health Minister Orazio Schillaci, the professionals highlight the dire consequences of restricted access to medical supplies. Pediatric cancer survival rates have plummeted from 80% to 65% due to the scarcity of essential drugs, while nearly 1% of the population remains on surgery waiting lists. Experts project this backlog could expand to 160,000 patients by the end of 2026, with over 300 pediatric surgeries currently compromised weekly by shortages of anesthetics, oxygen, and basic consumables.

The letter attributes the degradation to the cumulative impact of the prolonged embargo, the lingering effects of the pandemic, and a near-total energy blockade that has crippled electricity and fuel supplies. Researchers at the Center for Economic Policy and Research recently documented a 148% surge in infant mortality between 2018 and 2025. Co-author Joe Sammut noted that power outages frequently disrupt life-saving equipment, including ventilators and incubators for premature infants.

Beyond humanitarian concerns, the Italian medical community emphasizes a reciprocal debt to Cuba for its assistance during the pandemic and its ongoing support in the Calabria region. This diplomatic friction arrives as the Trump administration continues to pressure the Italian government to terminate its reliance on Cuban medical staff. The signatories argue that silence regarding these conditions constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights, urging the global scientific and civil community to act before further lives are lost.