Health
Solar Power and Fuel Aid Sustain Health Services One Year After Cuba’s Hurricane Melissa
A year after Hurricane Melissa hit eastern Cuba, the Cuban Red Cross has helped over 35,000 vulnerable people, but prolonged blackouts keep straining health care, water and food security, while an under‑funded IFRC appeal limits further recovery.
Solar Energy Keeps Clinics Running Amid Blackouts
The October 2025 Category 3 storm left 2.2 million people in Granma, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba without reliable electricity. To keep health services alive, the Cuban Red Cross secured regular fuel for its fleet, introduced hybrid vehicles and installed 14 photovoltaic systems in clinics and polyclinics. These solar‑powered sites have allowed more than 4,100 patients to receive essential care even during nationwide blackouts, while fuel deliveries enable volunteers to reach isolated families. The energy solutions also protect vaccine storage, water pumps and emergency transport, which would otherwise halt when the grid fails.
Water Supply and Disease Prevention Reach Tens of Thousands
Safe drinking water and vector‑control have been central to the response. Water tanks placed in 11 communities delivered 3.3 million litres, enough to meet the minimum weekly needs of 30,000 people. Community and school campaigns targeting dengue, chikungunya and other mosquito‑borne illnesses reached 7,494 residents, helping curb outbreaks that often follow floods. In parallel, psychosocial teams provided support to 3,517 individuals across 54 communities, addressing anxiety, grief and sleep disturbances that have risen alongside the health crisis.
Funding Gaps Threaten Ongoing Recovery
The IFRC Emergency Appeal launched in October 2025 seeks CHF 18 million but is only 38.6 % funded, leaving a shortfall that hampers fuel purchases, solar expansion and the distribution of 1,600 roof‑repair kits planned for Granma, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba. Continued blackouts are worsening food insecurity as crop losses force families to rely on charcoal and firewood, raising respiratory risks. Children’s education and mental health are also suffering. The Red Cross aims to install additional photovoltaic units in Ciego de Ávila, Guantánamo and Matanzas, focusing on maternity and paediatric hospitals, but sustained investment is essential to keep these life‑saving services operating through October 2027.