Mary Yolanda Alvarado
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Mary Yolanda Alvarado (Hernández) | |
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| Born | May 1918 Chivacoa, Venezuela |
| Died | October 2009 Portland, OR, USA |
| Alma mater | Central University of Venezuela |
| Known for | Ninth Venezuelan woman to complete her medical degree in that country |
| Children | Son |
Mary Yolanda Alvarado (12 May 1918 – 06 Oct 2009) was a Venezuelan physician known for her contributions to public health, particularly in maternal and child health, gynecology, and health systems management. She was the ninth Venezuelan-born woman in Venezuela to complete a Doctor of Medical Sciences degree.
Born in Chivacoa, Yaracuy, Venezuela, Alvarado was the daughter of José Ramón Alvarado and Carmen Hernández. Alvarado graduated from the Central University of Venezuela in 1944, earning the degree of Doctor of Medical Sciences in a class of 88 students—only five of whom were women.[1] Her thesis, titled "La cirugía conservadora en el tratamiento de la anexitis" ("Conservative Surgery in the Treatment of Adnexitis")[2] showcased her early interest in gynecology.
Her medical career began at the Venezuelan Red Cross where she held the post of Adjunct in Anesthesia (1944–1945) working under Dr. Ricardo Baquero González[3] in the Hospital Carlos J Bello. Her career with the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance, (currently named the Ministerio de Poder Popular para la Salud) developed in rural Venezuela. From 1945 to 1946, she worked as a rural physician in San Fernando del Guapo, Barlovento, Miranda State, a rural area lacking the basic resources typically available in urban clinics and hospitals. The women who pioneered medicine in this era, like Alvarado, were often sent to work in rural posts with limited medical supplies and faced harsh working conditions.[1] Her only son was born in San Fernando del Guapo. Following this, Alvarado moved to Santa Teresa del Tuy, where she worked as a rural doctor and later as the Head Physician in the Sanitary Unit.
Between 1950 and 1960, she became the Head Physician of the Sanitary Unit in Carúpano, Sucre State, as well as the Head Physician of the Maternity Ward at the Hospital San Antonio, where she focused on public health initiatives, gynecology, vaccination efforts, and improving maternal and child health in the region. From 1960 to 1972, she served as the Head Physician of the Sanitary Region in Los Teques, Miranda State. Her work during this time focused on strengthening healthcare systems and improving public health outcomes in the region. She also taught puericulture classes at the Escuela Normal Luis Correa. From 1972 to 1974, she worked in Caracas as the Head Public Health Physician in Planning at the Metropolitan Sanitary Zone.
In 1979, she was appointed as the Director of the Venezuelan Institute of Social Security (IVSS) under the administration of President Luis Herrera Campíns, a position she held until 1984. Under her leadership, the IVSS expanded its services significantly. She amplified the pharmacy department, laboratory, operating room, and emergency services, previously lacking in Los Teques. Before her interventions, patients in the region had to travel roughly an hour to Caracas for these services. By improving local infrastructure, Alvarado's leadership reduced the need for emergency ambulance trips to the capital, ensuring that many essential healthcare services were now available to the local population.
In 1984, Alvarado suffered a cerebral embolism, which forced her to retire early. In 2004, she moved to Portland, Oregon, USA, to live with her son and granddaughter. Alvarado passed away in 2009 due to a sudden aortic dissection.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 González Guerra, Miguel (1998). Los estudios médicos en la Universidad Central de Venezuela a partir de 1891. Venezuela: Universidad Central de Venezuela, Consejo de Desarrollo Científico y Humanístico. p. 88. ISBN 9789800012642.
- ↑ Díaz González, Joaquín. "Miscelanea de historia médica". Revista de la Sociedad Venezolana de Historia de la Medicina.
- ↑ "Dos momentos históricos en la Anestesiología venezolana". revista.svhm.org.ve.
External links
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