Open Arms delivers vital aid to Havana hospital, criticizes U.S. blockade

The NGO Open Arms has delivered seven tons of humanitarian aid, including photovoltaic equipment and medical supplies, to the Juan Manuel Márquez pediatric hospital in Havana, Cuba. Óscar Camps, director of Open Arms, stated that any effort to save a life is justified, emphasizing the mission's value.

Camps highlighted that if the donated equipment helps keep the intensive care unit operational and incubators functioning, it makes the entire effort worthwhile. "If the mission manages to get that ICU up and running, that the incubators work, that some premature baby can be saved because that incubator is running or because that treatment has not been interrupted, then it is all worth it," he said.

The aid arrived in Havana via the sailboat 'Astral,' part of the 'Rumbo a Cuba' initiative, which involves over 150 social, labor, and political organizations protesting the U.S. blockade and supporting Cuban healthcare.

Camps strongly condemned the U.S. blockade, labeling it an "inhumane crime" and an "attack against human rights" that should not be tolerated. He argued that a political decision should not lead to a hospital being deprived of electricity, comparing it to bombing a hospital.

Open Arms plans to continue supporting Cuba and raising awareness about the situation on the island. The organization intends to return to Cuba to oversee the installation and operation of the solar equipment. The 'Astral' voyage, which began in Barcelona in May, covered 6,200 miles and transported the aid funded by over 160,000 euros from more than 4,000 donors.