Ceremony commemorating the six decades of the Vladimir Ilich Lenin General University Hospital. Photo: Taken from the Lenin Hospital's institutional profile.

60 years in service to life: A tribute to the Lenin Hospital

With a fitting tribute to the founder of this healthcare giant in Holguin. Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz inaugurated the political and cultural event marking the 60th anniversary of the General University Hospital, named after the leader of the world proletariat: Vladimir Ilich Lenin.

Although the official founding date is November 7th, 1965, the celebration at the institution was postponed due to Hurricane Melissa’s passage through the region. The hospital, inaugurated by Fidel himself, was “…a symbol of fraternity and international solidarity…” Therefore, in its centennial year, the founders, together with the new generations, reaffirm their commitment to defending its legacy.

Witness to this historic moment was Rebel Army Commander Dr. José Ramón Machado Ventura, then Minister of Public Health. Who, now over ninety years old, attended the celebration. He stated that this is not just another hospital in the country. In Cuba, we must speak of the Lenin Hospital.

He extended his recognition to the entire staff, comprised of doctors, nurses, licensed professionals, and support personnel. He recalled that since the institution’s inception, efforts were made to ensure it had the necessary equipment to provide care to the population of this northeastern region.

This moment was preceded by numerous healthcare, political, ideological, productive, recreational, sporting, and scientific activities. Which have engaged the staff as a large, extended Holguin healthcare family. The first two days of December were marked by a scientific conference, with nearly 200 papers submitted.

In this setting, nine outstanding works were recognized. Including research on the characterization of patients with low ovarian reserve at the Holguin Territorial Center for Assisted Reproduction. Inguinal hernioplasty with infiltrative local anesthesia. QT variability as a predictor of malignant ventricular arrhythmias due to anthracyclines in breast cancer. Management of intrauterine growth restriction in the Neonatology service.

Effectiveness of the epidemiological supervisor nurse in Neonatology. Interprofessional education in the Clinical Bioanalysis program: perceptions, competencies, and challenges for collaborative practice. And ototoxicity induced by cisplatin-based chemotherapy, among others.

Also the Lenin Prize was awarded in special recognition of the lifetime achievements of dedicated and outstanding employees of the institution. To Rigoberto Tamayo Rodríguez, Ivian Zoila González, Juan Pablo Martínez, Marina Casavielles Marrero, and Sara Liz Ricardo Suárez.

Amalia Pupo Zúñiga, director of the Lenin Hospital, stated, “We are experiencing a very special moment in the history of the Lenin Hospital: 60 years of service to the health and well-being of the people. This anniversary is not just a celebration, but a tribute to all those who have been part of this journey. Stories of lives saved resonate in every corner.

Over these 60 years, we have faced significant challenges: epidemics, hurricanes, health crises, and the constant need to improve our services… We are distinguished by indicators such as having delivered more than 586,530 babies. Treated more than 12 million patients in emergency services. Provided more than 10 million outpatient consultations, and establishing a Territorial Oncology Center that has increased the survival rate of cancer patients and provided chemotherapy to more than 58,000 patients.”

“More than 1,488,100 surgeries have been performed, and more than 7,400 pacemakers and 132 automatic defibrillators have been implanted. Two thousand three hundred and fifty-eight pregnancies have been achieved through care for infertile couples. Solidifying the Assisted Reproduction Center’s position as one of the most successful in Cuba.

During the ceremony, the Internationalist Worker Medal was awarded to Eloy Verdecia Silva and Francisco Pérez Córdova in recognition of their work merits. The National Union of Health Workers presented the “Manuel Piti Fajardo” Distinction to workers in recognition of their merits achieved over 20 years of service for women and 25 years for men.

Finally, a group of agencies and organizations, led by the Provincial Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba and the Government, the General Directorate of Health, the Provincial Union of Health Workers, provincial hospitals, and the University of Medical Sciences, presented awards to the hospital’s administration in representation of the workers’ collective.

The Lenin Hospital embodies six decades of history, dedication, and humanism. Today, it stands as a beacon of hope, science, and a love for life in eastern Cuba. Its staff, along with its wards, operating rooms, consultation rooms, hallways, and other spaces that have stood the test of time, are the best proof of its consolidation as the giant of healthcare in Holguin.

Maylín Betancourt Verdecia
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