Miami, United States. – A Canadian tourist identified as Sylvie Beauchesne denounced on Monday to have received poor medical attention after suffering a hip fracture during his vacation in Cuba. According to his daughter Roxane Beauchesne to the newspaper Lesoleilthe 55 -year -old woman was subject to precarious conditions in a hospital in Holguin And he had difficulty obtaining adequate attention while his repatriation was managed.
The accident occurred on February 7 when the tourist slipped when leaving the hotel pool where she stayed. “She lost knowledge twice during transport to the hospital,” her daughter explained. After being treated in a first health center, she was transferred to another hospital, where she remained hospitalized in conditions that her family described as “worrying.”
“He ate almost anything. He took some water, but had to pay for something better and, even so, he only received four slices of tomato. They wanted money to give him food, but she had nothing with him, ”Roxane denounced, who also said that her mother was stolen from 260 dollars in the hospital and that she spent 24 hours without being neat after being immobilized by the fracture.
According to the tourist’s daughter, the language barrier and the lack of cooperation of the Cuban authorities complicated the efforts for its transfer. “I have contacted the insurers, who are aware of the situation, but Cuba does not cooperate much. It seems that they want to retain more time to get more money. Its urinary probe fell and did not comply with it correctly, so urine in bed. They have barely washed it and her serum is contaminated with blood, but no one has yet checked her, ”denounced the young woman.
The situation generated a support wave on social networks, which allowed other Francophones on the island to approach the affected. One of them took a blanket and food, while another managed to recover his luggage, which had disappeared from his room at the hotel and was finally delivered to the hospital.
After several days of procedures and efforts with the insurer, Sylvie Beaucho was repatriated on Monday, February 10. His flight left from the Holguin International Airport at 4:20 in the afternoon on an Airmedic plane to Montreal, where he landed at 8:00 at night. Subsequently, it was transferred in ambulance to trois-rivières to receive proper treatment.
The case has revived the debate about the need to have travel insurance when visiting Cuba. “It’s something we strongly recommend. Better prevent than regret, ”he told Lesoleil Daphnée Lambert-Rivest, director of marketing of a travel agency in Canada. Without an insurance policy, Beauche’s medical costs would have been exorbitant, according to their relatives.
In May 2024, the Government of Canada He asked the country’s citizens They plan to visit Cuba “a high degree of caution.” According to the notice, Cuba faces “chronic and severe” shortage of foodbottled water, medical supplies, fuel and currency.
“The shortcomings are critical and affect a wide range of services,” said the Canadian government, who also warned about the difficulties of traveling through the island due to Fuel shortage That directly impacts public transport and taxis services, leaving tourists with few options to move.
The notice also indicated that “minor crime”, such as the theft of bags and wallets, is frequent, especially in busy areas such as tourist areas, markets, public buses, nightclubs and beaches, as well as in isolated areas.
