U.S. blockade of Cuba affects orthopedic branch

The economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba today hinders the entry of supplies and equipment that are indispensable for the development of different health branches in the country.

The specialty of Orthopedics is among the most affected, since the lack of instruments hinders the progress of arthroscopic surgery, which is already being applied in almost all Cuban provinces and which requires specific tools for its execution.

The president of the Cuban Group of Arthroscopy, Joint and Sports Surgery, Osvaldo García, pointed out that most of the companies that manufacture the instrumentation for this type of surgical procedure have links with U.S. companies, which limits the commercialization with Cuba.

He added that it is a high-cost technology, and the need to resort to distant markets aggravates the situation.

He pointed out that the hostile policy also hinders access to knowledge, since Cuban specialists must travel to European countries to receive training on the latest arthroscopic techniques, even though they are very close to well-equipped clinics with highly qualified personnel.

The blockade also makes it impossible for U.S. experts to enter Cuba to participate in international events, including the Symposium on Arthroscopy, Joint and Sports Surgery, held recently in Ciego de Avila, and to exchange experiences with professionals from the island, García pointed out.

He said that Cuban health is also a victim of discrediting and disinformation campaigns, which only aim at minimizing the quality and effort of Cuban experts to develop in a complex scenario.

In this context, it hinders participation in meetings held in other countries and publications in specialized journals, thus limiting the opportunities to receive and share knowledge.