Bernabé Ordaz
Eduardo Bernabé Ordaz Ducungé was born in San Antonio de los Baños on October 13th, 1921. His early studies were carried out at the school ‘’Cayo de La Rosa’’. Between 1940 and 1944 he enrolled in the Institute of the Second Education of Marianao where he was President of the Student Association. He entered the University of Havana to study Medicine and was elected President of the Student Association of the Faculty making possible the creation of the Student Clinic.
He graduated and worked as Resident Doctor at the teaching hospital ‘’Calixto García’’. Subsequently he was a Consultant Doctor at the University of Havana until 1958, when he joined the armed struggle. After the revolutionary triumph, Eduardo Bernabé Ordaz was appointed Director of the Hospital for demented people, ‘’Mazorra’’. On January 9th, 1959, he was immersed himself in transforming the name of the institution and its living conditions. Thus, arose the modern ‘’Psychiatric Hospital of Havana’’.
Dr. Eduardo Bernabé Ordaz instituted the use of the term Occupational Therapy, for being fuller and more comprehensive, as it includes various activities that influence the recovery of patients with mental illness. The death of this illustrious son of San Antonio de los Baños, which occurred on May 21st, 2006, was a significant loss for Cuban medicine.