Eliseo Antonio Prado González

Outstanding pediatrician, renowned professor who was one of those who laid the foundations of pediatrics education in Cuba. Doctor of Sciences, Professor Emeritus of the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences, Order Carlos J. Finlay of the Council of State.

Son of manual laborers, he was orphaned of his father at nine years old. His first studies were conducted in Public Schools in Old Havana. He helped support the family economically through night work, gave classes, and later, when he began studying Medicine, performed some laboratory work.

He studied high school through the establishment of free tuition following the fall of Machado. He participated in different revolutionary activities during the turbulent period that followed the fall of dictator Machado, and his studies were interrupted by strikes and the closure of educational centers.

He enrolled in the School of Medicine through the free tuition method. Starting in his fourth year, he obtained a position through university competitive examination (1943-45).

He graduated as a physician on January 13, 1945. From his graduation, he held the position of internal medicine physician at the Hospital de Dementes until his appointment on November 20, 1946 at the Children's Hospital "Ángel Árturo Aballí Arellano", where he was later designated as a resident physician.

He was assigned to the Department of Pediatrics for the established years and subsequently became an Instructor, presenting his work on Congenital Heart Diseases.

In 1954 he was appointed as auxiliary physician. With the triumph of the Revolution, he worked on structuring pediatrics education in the hospital wards and contributed to the reorganization of other services due to the departure from the country of a large part of the hospital's medical staff.

He was a member of the Outpatient Consultation Improvement Commission of the Hospital and simultaneously of the Hospital Technical Commission, the Advisory Commission, Chief Physician of Pediatrics and head of Ward F and was designated by the Revolutionary Direction of the School of Medicine to oversee the Pediatrics Services of the former Hospital Mercedes.

When Hurricane Flora was in Camagüey, he worked at the city hospital, joining the medical team with the direction of that center.

He taught in different provinces of the country for the development of teaching staff and for the training of pediatricians during the 1960s. In 1962 he traveled to the USSR, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, as part of a delegation of Cuban pediatricians to study the teaching plans of these countries.

From 1965 to 1988 he attended several World Pediatrics Congresses and other international congresses. In 1975 he was an advisor for PAHO to establish recommendations on Pediatrics textbooks for education. He also went to Guyana and to Nicaragua to provide technical assistance in 1986.

He participated in teaching and clinical activities in different centers of the country, in some of them he was an initiator of pediatrics education, such as in Matanzas and in Holguín.

He was appointed, together with Professors San Martín and Resik, to restructure the Hospital "Las Ánimas" and report on the treatment of diphtheria and tetanus. This Commission participated in the control of the Typhoid Fever epidemic that occurred in the city of Bayamo.

He belonged to the Cuban Society of Pediatrics as an Honorary Member since 1953. Until the triumph of the Revolution, he was a member of the American Pediatric Society. He was elected member of the Yucatecan Society of Pediatrics, the Cuban Society of Neurosciences and the Latin American Society of Pediatrics. He was a member of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Medical Sciences "Comandante Manuel Fajardo" and of the Rectory of the ISCM in Havana.

He participated in Advisory Groups of MINSAP, such as the National Pediatrics Group since its creation, the National Group of Medications and Medical Equipment and Groups for Control and Assistance to the provinces of Oriente, Santa Clara and Pinar del Río, among others.

In 1976 he held the position of General Secretary of ISCM-H, work he developed for more than 10 years, along with his work as Chief of the Pediatrics Service.

Throughout his professional life, he taught numerous pediatrics topics, both to medical students and to residents and specialists, as well as lectures and courses on Pediatrics, on Infectious Diseases, on the use of antibiotics, on Pediatric Neurology, among many others.

He worked constantly with sick children, as a physician and Professor, as Chief of Pediatrics Services, as Consulting Professor, combining his teaching with his great clinical experience, acquired through methodical and profound work and daily study for more than 60 years of active life.

He participated in numerous congresses and scientific meetings both provincial and national.

He published dozens of scientific articles in journals, pamphlets and books, among which stand out the different editions of Pediatrics Standards, Lessons in Pediatric Semiology and topics on Pediatric Pharmacology in the new Pediatrics textbooks.

In his long working life, he presided over Tribunals for Resident Examinations, was part of Working Commissions for the creation of School of Medicine programs, worked in the Teaching and Improvement Direction of MINSAP for graduates in Medical Sciences, President of the Commission for granting the Specialty of 1st and 2nd degree in Pediatrics and in the Accreditation processes.

Since the beginning of the process of granting scientific degrees in Cuba, he was conferred the degree of Doctor of Sciences. Founding Member and Director of the Bio-Medicine Section of the National Commission of Scientific Degrees, a responsibility he held for more than 23 years, until 2006 when he became Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education in this area of work.

Throughout his fruitful professional, scientific and teaching life, he received numerous well-deserved recognitions, among them, "José Tey" and "Manuel Fajardo" Medals, Professor Emeritus of the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences in Havana, Order "Carlos J. Finlay" of the Council of State, Orders "Lázaro Peña" and "Frank País", "Outstanding in the Health of the Americas", awarded by the Pan American Health Organization, on the centenary of its founding 1902-2002, of the José Martí Cultural Society "For the Utility of Virtue", Researcher of Merit of the Ministry of Sciences, Technology and Environment and Distinctions for X, XV and XX Years of MININT. He was also awarded the La Giraldilla prize of the City of Havana and the Recognition for Teaching Merit of the Medical University.

He died in Havana on February 7, 2010, a few months before turning 95 years old.

His life is a true example of dedication to professional, teaching, scientific and social service.

Since the beginning of the process of granting scientific degrees in Cuba, he was conferred the degree of Doctor of Sciences. Founding Member and Director of the Bio-Medicine Section of the National Commission of Scientific Degrees for more than 23 years until 2006 when he became Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education in this area of work.

He received numerous recognitions among which are Professor Emeritus of the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences, Order Carlos J. Finlay of the Council of State, Orders Lázaro Peña, Pepito Tey, Manuel Piti Fajardo and Frank Pais. "Outstanding in the Health of the Americas" awarded by the Pan American Health Organization, on the centenary of its founding 1902-2002, of the José Martí Cultural Society "For the Utility of Virtue", Researcher of Merit of the Ministry of Sciences, Technology and Environment and Distinctions for X, XV and XX Years of MININT. He was also awarded the La Giraldilla prize of the City of Havana and the Recognition for Teaching Merit of the Medical University.