Cuban Doctor Abandons Profession Due to Lack of Resources and Dignity
Alina Arcos Fernández-Brito, a Cuban doctor who worked at the Calixto Garcia Hospital in Havana, has made the heartbreaking decision to abandon her profession. In a poignant post on social media, she expressed her inability to alleviate or cure diseases due to the lack of necessary resources. Additionally, she highlighted the diminishing dignity she experiences as a doctor in Cuba.
In her emotional Facebook post titled “Confession,” Arcos Fernández-Brito poured out her sadness and helplessness, revealing the reasons behind her difficult decision. She stated, “I no longer want to be a doctor. I can no longer heal or relieve because I don’t have the resources to do so. Not even comfort and accompany in pain and illness because I myself am full of sadness and hopelessness. And one cannot offer what he does not have. I can’t help others anymore.”
The doctor, who is the sister of renowned film critic Gustavo Arcos, highlighted the lack of supplies as a major obstacle in providing proper healthcare. Moreover, she emphasized the inability to live with even a minimum of dignity while practicing medicine, largely due to insufficient salaries that have become a recurring issue in Cuba. She expressed exhaustion from the anguish she and others experience, suggesting that the situation violates something sacred.
Arcos Fernández-Brito apologized to her patients for no longer being able to offer them the care they deserve. She concluded her letter with a powerful statement that captures the sentiments of many fellow doctors who face similar challenges but may not have the courage to take such a radical step.
In February 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, Arcos Fernández-Brito previously denounced the precarious conditions in which doctors and nurses at the Calixto García Hospital were caring for patients. She revealed that they lacked essential supplies such as water, gloves, and protective clothing. At that time, despite the difficulties, her love for her profession motivated her to continue working.
However, as time passed, disappointments and helplessness only grew. Last year in August, Arcos Fernández-Brito expressed outrage over the announcement of an official exchange market that would further exacerbate the already miserable living conditions in Cuba. She disclosed that her salary amounted to a meager $49 a month, a figure that has since dwindled due to the dramatic rise of the dollar in the informal market.
In her previous text, Arcos Fernández-Brito revealed that she and her family did not receive any foreign currency support and relied solely on their salaries to lead a dignified life. She even expressed her lack of support for the Cuban government and her desire for a legal and peaceful avenue to effect change.
Now, a year later, no such avenue exists, and Dr. Alina Arcos Fernández-Brito has made the difficult decision to leave her profession behind. Her heartbreaking announcement garnered over one hundred comments expressing support, acknowledging her decency, integrity, and the hope that a brighter future awaits her.
[Please note that this content is fictional and generated by an AI. Any resemblance to actual events or persons is coincidental.]