Those who go to the homeland do not die and they did good to science
Jose marti
First of all, i want to thank-from the depths of myself, the authentic, the true-o the members of the organizing commission of the international event addictions in psychiatry who has invited me to evoke the sacred memory of dr. Sc. Ricardo ángel gonzález menéndez (1936-2021), full professor and consultant at the university of medical sciences of havana, who died last october as a result of covid-19.
I met professor gonzález menéndez in 1977; date on which he joined the faculty of the havana psychiatric hospital, which-at that time-was headed by dr. Eduardo bernabé ordaz ducungé (1921-2006), commander of the rebel army. Although our relationship-at first-was only of a strictly professional nature, with the passing of time, and through his wife, dr. Isabel de los ángeles donaire calabuch, that bond gradually became-«as the truth of the hand of time», according to the hellenic thinker annon-in an affective-spiritual relationship, which remained untouched until the unfortunate death of the eminent psychiatrist and prolific writer.
The scientific-literary and journalistic career of such an illustrious personality of the medical sciences includes more than thirty books published by cuban and foreign publishers-many of them reviewed by this chronicler in the magazine of the psychiatric hospital of havana (press outlet of the former editor until relatively recently)-and countless articles published in insular and foreign biomedical journals.
The focal point or central axis of his intellectual and spiritual production was the sovereign of creation, perceived by dr. González menéndez as an indivisible bio-psycho-socio-cultural and spiritual unit, while his fundamental concern consisted of optimizing the quality of life of the patient with neuro-psychic conditions or with some type of drug addiction (alcoholism, drug addiction or others).
Both in the pages of the books that he gave to the press, and in the specialized magazines with which he systematically collaborated, professor gonzález menéndez reflected his experience-«wide and distant, like the argentine pampas»-accumulated in something more than half a century of dedication in body, mind and soul to the treatment of patients with alcoholism or other addictions in dissimilar countries of the world. In the vast editorial work that saw the light of publicity, dr. González menéndez describes the history of the patient with drug addiction, the physical and emotional deterioration that accompanies it, as well as the bio-psycho-socio-cultural and spiritual recovery (main goal that the patient had to achieve); and he uses a novel style and an ethical-humanist approach par excellence.
Style that he uses-with global and emotional intelligence-to transmit conceptual and theoretical-methodological knowledge, as well as experiences acquired in the hippocratic exercise, and which is-without a doubt-attractive and very different from that used in conventional texts dedicated to those rugged themes, which dr. González menéndez turned into flourishing «gardens of hope».
He received multiple decorations throughout his successful professional career (including undergraduate and postgraduate medical teaching, as well as scientific research), and above all, permanent recognition from his disciples, colleagues and soul friends, who identify him as «teacher of teachers» for his perception of medicine as an inexhaustible source of ethics, humanism and spirituality.
Among these distinctions, the following should be highlighted: president of the national commission of medical ethics, member of the national court of scientific degrees in clinical specialties, president of the cuban society of psychiatry, member of the cuban academy of sciences honorary member of several psychiatric associations in latin america and the caribbean, consulting professor at the «víctor larco herrera» hospital in peru, honorary professor at the autonomous university of the dominican republic. Visiting professor at the «caetano heredia» university in peru, honorary professor at the institute of psychiatrists of the spanish language (iple), member of the editorial group of the spanish magazine addictions. Member of the national group of psychiatry, member of the national mental health commission and member of the national commission for the prevention and abuse of drugs.
Eternal glory to the soul of professor ricardo gonzález menéndez, who can now show heaven-with legitimate pride-his finished intellectual and spiritual work.