APTOPIX Cuba Medicine Shortages
Silvia Perez, a volunteer with the "Medicine Is Not for Sale" community project, prepares medicine for free distribution in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026.
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In Havana, Laura Mendoza runs a project called “Medicine Is Not for Sale,” providing free medications to Cubans facing severe shortages. Every Thursday and Sunday, she distributes drugs like antihistamines and antibiotics requested through WhatsApp. The initiative is supported by humanitarian groups and has become crucial as Cuba's economic crisis deepens. State pharmacies struggle with supply issues. That has prompted the government to allow private pharmacies, a historic shift. However, concerns remain about affordability. Many Cubans worry about the cost of medications in private pharmacies, fearing they may not be affordable for everyone.