U.S. sanctions push Cuba to the brink, with healthcare at risk

Cuban doctors rushed a 2-month-old baby, dehydrated and suffering from malnutrition, to the intensive care unit.

He weighed less than 5 pounds and had been taken to William Soler Pediatric Hospital in Havana, Cuba, by protective services after being abandoned. After he was stabilized, the 2-month-old boy needed specialized formulas, many of which come from the United States, according to Dr. Alejandro Chong, head of the ICU.

"We have to make do with formulas made from malanga — a starchy root vegetable — and chicken," Chong said.