Sterile Surgical Equipment Your Family Actually Needs

Here's what most people get wrong: they either send nothing (figuring the hospital will handle it) or they go overboard with a full surgical theater's worth of gear that customs flags immediately. The sweet spot? Basic wound care supplies that any household should have, plus a few items that healthcare workers in Cuba will actually kiss you for sending.

The humidity there destroys everything eventually, so sterile packaging matters more than you'd think. Those individually wrapped items aren't just medical theater—they're the difference between something that's still usable in six months and expensive garbage. And weight? Every ounce counts when you're calculating shipping costs, so we're looking at maximum utility per gram.

One more thing: suture kits aren't just for doctors. Plenty of Cuban families have someone with basic medical training—a retired nurse, a medical student, someone who did their social service in a rural clinic. These supplies in trained hands can handle what would otherwise mean a four-hour wait at a overwhelmed hospital.