Sergio Rabell Hernández. Outstanding cuban internist pioneer of intensive care in the country

Sergio Antonio Rabell Hernandez (1933-2000), born in Artemisa and with working class roots, joined the March-13 Revolutionary Directory and the July-26 Movement since Batista's coup d'etat (1952). When the Revolution triumphed, he enrolled in the University Militia Units and finished his medicine studies at Havana University in 1960. Then he rendered his rural social service in Imias, Baracoa. After such period, he came to work at Calixto Garcia Hospital in Havana, where he stayed until his death. In this hospital, he developed his whole professional life, as a specialist of Internal and Intensive Medicine, as a medicine tutor —from the lowest to the highest teaching rank of Professor— and as a political leader. He was General Secretary of the Communist Party local in his working area, and later on the Secretary of the Directive Committee in the hospital. His medical and teaching workload, as well as his active party militancy did not stop him from professional upgrading. He became a Specialist of Internal Medicine, First and Second Degree; he also reached a PhD Degree in Medicine. Because of his persistent and permanent contribution to the medical scientific development and the improvement of the quality of health care; also because of his educational endeavor and his work in the building of socialism in his homeland, he deserved to be acknowledged and awarded on several occasions in the country and abroad. On April 22, 2000, the outstanding professor of Internal Medicine and pioneer of intensive care services in Cuba passed away.