A spike in mortalityThe tightening restrictions have forced the Cuban government to effectively ration care.In February, Havana announced a package of emergency energy-saving measures. Among them was the suspension of all non-essential medical services across the island.But non-essential does not mean unimportant. Fernandez, the paediatric anaesthesiologist, explained that preventive healthcare plays a major role in saving lives.Under normal conditions, he said, preventive healthcare helps doctors catch potentially fatal conditions like appendicitis sooner.But in recent months, Fernandez has observed patients arriving at his hospital in a “worsened” condition than they might otherwise have had.“All the appendicitis cases we treat now present…