Cuban child Damir Ortiz, who arrived in the U.S. from Cuba a few days ago in critical condition thanks to a humanitarian visa to receive specialized medical care at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, is showing signs of improvement.
Eliannis Ramírez, the boy's mother, told activist Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia that doctors detected and treated a new bacteria in his system, and that his lung condition is improving.
According to a Facebook post by Salcedo Verdecia, the boy's mother was surprised to see him moving his shoulders to the cartoon theme song playing on the television in his hospital room.
Thanks to the hard work of advocates like Diasniurka Salcedo, Aylín Díaz, and Dr. Miguel Ángel Ruano, the boy was transported by air ambulance from a Havana hospital, where his condition was worsening without adequate care, to Miami.
The family, along with the relief team, faced numerous bureaucratic and financial obstacles to obtain a humanitarian visa for Damir and his mother, along with essential evacuation permits.
The child's critical condition made it impossible to travel on a commercial flight, so it was crucial to find a plane that had medical support on board.
Diasniurka Salcedo accused the Cuban government of endangering Damir's life by postponing his departure from the country, highlighting the seriousness of his circumstances. "If they had allowed him to travel sooner, his health would not have been so critical. The Cuban government let a child waste away before agreeing to his transfer," she said.
