José Antonio Gutiérrez Muñiz

One of the most important figures in the construction of revolutionary Public Health in Cuba; Doctor of Medical Sciences, Consulting Professor, Senior Researcher, Researcher of Merit and Head of the Department of Growth and Development at the School of Medical Sciences "Julio Trigo López" of the Medical University of Havana.

A university professor and researcher of outstanding merit, who from his position as Minister of Public Health, directed important processes that became transcendental moments in community medical services, and in the teaching of Medicine and Nursing.

He was born in the former municipality of Esperanza, in the center of the province of Santa Clara. His parents were: Marcelino Gutiérrez Fernández, a builder and respected master craftsman, and Josefina Muñiz Fernández, a housewife.

He completed his primary and secondary studies in the town of Esperanza and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Sciences from the Institute of Secondary Education of Santa Clara in 1944.

He began higher education by enrolling in the Medicine program at the University of Havana in 1944. Shortly after beginning his higher studies, his father passed away and he was left without financial support to continue studying. For this reason, he began working at the former Hospital for the Mentally Ill in Havana (Mazorra), holding the position of Medical Student. There he performed general assistance work with patients, alternating this work with classes at the University. Upon completing his 7 years of studies, he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1951 with his thesis "Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia."

After graduating, he went to work in the city of Guantánamo, where in addition to practicing his profession, he became involved in clandestine revolutionary activities within the July 26 Movement, under the orders of Julio Camacho Aguilera. In 1958, he joined the II Eastern Front Frank País, in the Sierra Cristal, and worked at Hospital Majimiana, under the orders of José Ramón Machado Ventura. This hospital had excellent technical and material conditions to provide adequate services to the inhabitants of the area and to the wounded from the guerrilla. Through his wife, who owned a pharmacy in Guantánamo, he facilitated the purchase of medicines for this hospital. By the end of the war against the Batista dictatorship, he had achieved the rank of Captain in the Rebel Army.

Starting in 1959, he would hold various positions assigned by the Revolutionary leadership, among which the most important were:
• Director of the General Hospital of Guantánamo (1959).
• Director of the Children's Hospital of Santiago de Cuba (1960).
• Provincial Director of Health of Eastern South (1960).
• Provincial Director of Health of Havana (1968).
• National Director of Pediatrics (1970).

In this last responsibility, he played a primary role in the creation and implementation of the Program for the Reduction of Infant Mortality in the country, which set out to—and succeeded in—reducing the mortality rate of children under one year of age by half during the decade 1970-1980 and, furthermore, brought about a radical change in the principal causes of death in children. Another important aspect of his work during this period was his participation in the development of two important research initiatives of that time: the First National Study of Growth and Development, and Perinatal Research.

In 1965, he completed his specialization studies for a First Degree in Pediatrics, and achieved the title of Second Degree Specialist in this specialty in 1970.

He was appointed Minister of Public Health on December 18, 1972, a position he held until December 13, 1979. During this important period in his professional life, transcendental changes were carried out in health services and in the area of teaching, such as the Community Polyclinic Project, the publication of the Cuban Journal of Health Administration, now the Cuban Journal of Public Health; medical education became independent from the University of Havana with the creation of the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana, and university teaching in Nursing was initiated.

Upon finishing his duties as Minister, he began directing the National Department of Growth and Development in 1980. This Department conducts studies on the growth and development of the Cuban population and has its headquarters at the School of Medical Sciences "Julio Trigo López," attached to the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana (ISCM-H).

During his professional career, he participated in numerous postgraduate continuing education courses. In 1980, he achieved the titles of Second Degree Specialist in Health Administration and Bachelor of Sciences in Social Sciences at the Superior School of the Party "Ñico López."

Honorary Member of the Cuban and Dominican Societies of Pediatrics, of the Latin American Federation of Associations of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and of the Cuban Society of Anthropology. Member, moreover, of the Latin American Association of Pediatrics and the International Pediatric Association. Since 1986, permanent member of the Court for the Defense of Scientific Degrees in Health Sciences. He has been an activist of the Communist Party of Cuba since its founding.

Throughout his long career as a physician, academic, and researcher, he received awards, distinctions, and numerous decorations, among which the following stand out:
-- Special Distinction from the Ministry of Higher Education, in February 1986.
-- Award from the Ministry of Public Health for Best Scientific Work, in December 1990.
-- Commemorative Medal XXX Anniversary of the Academy of Sciences, in 1991.
-- Award from the Academy of Sciences of Cuba for outstanding results of the research "The Cuban Child," in January 1997.
-- National Prize for Health, in the book category for being coauthor of the book "Health for All, Yes It Is Possible," awarded in 2005.
-- Medal XX Anniversary of the Revolution.
-- Commemorative Medal XX, XXX, and XL Anniversary of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.
-- Medal Combatant of the War of Liberation.
-- Medal Combatant of the Clandestine Struggle.
-- Medal Distinction for Cuban Education.
-- Distinction XX Anniversary of the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana.
-- Commemorative Diploma for 270 years of Medical Teaching.
-- Diploma of Recognition for having contributed to the Round Tables of the Revolution.

He was granted the appointment of Full Member of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba in 2006.

He has published 44 works, participated in 93 National Scientific Events and 25 International ones, and provided 6 Scientific Consultancies to other countries.

Dr. José Antonio Gutiérrez Muñiz is a Doctor of Sciences, Consulting Professor, and Senior and Outstanding Researcher of the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences of Havana.

He constitutes a paradigm of what a revolutionary physician should be, a prestigious academic, a meritorious researcher, and a tireless worker; Without a doubt the most distinguished physician born in Esperanza, according to Dr. Gregorio Delgado, Medical Historian of the Ministry of Public Health.

Gutiérrez Muñiz passed away at the age of 89 on August 1, 2014.

Source: Revista Habanera de Ciencias Médicas