Retired Perth County nurse urges support for Cuba after witnessing worsening conditions

From left, Canadian Women’s Missionary Society president Cathy Reid and Jean Aitcheson open a suitcase of donated medications alongside a Cuban church volunteer and retired pediatrician.

By Gary West

Perth South’s Jean Aitcheson has spent a lifetime caring for others, both close to home and around the world. Now the retired Stratford General Hospital nurse is urging Perth County residents to help the people of Cuba after returning from a recent mission trip.

Aitcheson was one of six women who travelled to Matanzas and Havana from Feb. 7-14 as part of the Women’s Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church. The team carried financial resources, educational materials and medical supplies to partner churches supporting their local communities.

The group completed its visits and delivered supplies before departing from Varadero on Feb. 14. With flights to Toronto cancelled, they flew to Montreal and then travelled by train to Toronto before making their way home.

While the team was prepared for challenges such as power outages, fuel shortages and mosquito-borne illnesses, Aitcheson said the reality for everyday Cubans is far more severe – particularly in rural areas.

Electricity is available only a few hours a day and at unpredictable times. Gasoline is scarce; during their week-long stay, the group saw just one open gas station with long lines of vehicles waiting for a ration of fuel. Public transportation is extremely limited and many people stand along roadsides hoping to pay for a ride.

Water infrastructure is failing with broken lines and contamination issues common. Food shortages are widespread. Though Cuba once had a thriving agricultural economy, Aitcheson said fuel shortages, broken equipment, lack of seeds and fertilizer have crippled production. Many families rely on small backyard plots and a few animals to survive.

Tourism, once a major economic driver, has declined, further limiting access to foreign currency needed to import essential goods.

The mission team transported 12 suitcases weighing 50 pounds each, most filled with medications and medical supplies from the Stratford Mission Depot at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Stratford. Three suitcases of consumable medical supplies were delivered to a pediatric hospital, where administrators and surgeons expressed gratitude for even basic items such as a pediatric stethoscope and a single bottle of Tranexamic Acid used to control bleeding during surgery.

Hospital staff work extended shifts amid severe shortages of supplies, fuel and personnel. Many pharmacies and hospital shelves are bare.

Churches in Cuba serve as vital community hubs, providing purified water, feeding programs and limited access to medication through volunteer medical professionals.

Despite the hardships, Aitcheson described the Cuban people as resilient and supportive of one another. However, she believes conditions are deteriorating rapidly and says Canadians can make a difference.

She is encouraging residents to donate unused medical supplies such as canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs and medications to the Stratford Mission Depot, which accepts donations at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon. Financial contributions are also welcome to help purchase additional supplies.

A private plane is scheduled to transport medical supplies at the end of March, and organizers hope airlines will resume carrying humanitarian shipments when routes reopen.

For more information, contact Aitcheson at jeanaitchesonjkhsn@quadro.net.