The University of Medical Sciences of Ciego de Ávila celebrated the 46th Graduation of the 2025-2026 cohort at the Principal Theatre, dedicated to the 73rd anniversary of the Assaults on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes barracks, the 104th anniversary of the University Student Federation, and especially to the memory of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro in the year of his centenary.

During the ceremony, degrees were awarded to 363 professionals from 12 medical fields, including Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing (Daytime Regular Course and Course by Encounters), Clinical Bioanalysis, Hygiene and Epidemiology, Nutrition, Dental Services, Higher and Short Cycle Technician in Nutrition, Prosthetics, Dental Care, Pharmaceutical Services, Vector Surveillance and Control, Medium Level Technician in Complementary Nursing and Basic Nursing Technician.

Of this cohort, 25 students joined the Mario Muñoz vanguard movement and 12 achieved the Scientific Merit Award.

Dr Benerando Sevilla Pérez, Rector of the University, highlighted in his speech that these young people completed their training in an unprecedented and challenging context, marked by the confrontation with COVID-19 and the tightening of the imperialist blockade.

«With an iron will and unusual maturity, they did not give up; they transformed every obstacle into a lesson and every difficulty into an opportunity to grow,» said the rector, who stressed that the best way to honour Fidel in his centenary is this cohort that carries his legacy in their hands and hearts, since the eternal medical student dreamed of a health system that would reach every corner and train professionals with soul, science and common sense.

Sevilla Pérez pointed out that from today onwards, the graduates are the guardians of the people’s health, with the responsibility to cure, prevent and give hope, and that they will go wherever they are needed, in Cuba or anywhere in the world, because that is the essence of the professional this university trains.

He also recognised the work of the teaching staff, who in the midst of the pandemic reinvented teaching to leave no one behind, and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to remain alongside the party and government in consolidating the Cuban health system.

The central moment of the ceremony was the reading of the medical oath by the best graduate, Miguel Antonio Martínez Castellanos, integral vanguard of the University.

Before the Cuban people and the memory of Dr Carlos J. Finlay, he assumed the commitment to practice the profession as an act of revolutionary service, respecting people’s dignity without discrimination, protecting informed consent and confidentiality, guarding health-related secrets, defending the National Health System as public, universal and free, remaining in the community or any assigned place, honouring the internationalist vocation and the example of the Henry Reeve contingent, practising science with integrity and rigour, respecting teachers and colleagues, and transmitting knowledge to new generations.

Presiding over the ceremony were Yuslayvis Borges González, Member of the Provincial Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba overseeing the Social sphere; Haimara Altunaga Espinosa, Non-Professional Member of the Party Bureau and official overseeing the Health Sector; Hiorvanis Espinosa, Vice-Governor of the province; Edian García Mursuli, Coordinator of Programmes and Objectives; Dr Kernel Lima Ruiz, General Director of Health; Dr Ana Rosa Valdés Rodríguez, General Secretary of the Provincial Bureau of the Health Trade Union; and Liana Rodríguez González, member of the Provincial Bureau of the UJC.

From the Avilanian institution, attending were Dr Benerando Sevilla Pérez, Rector; Dr Ineldo Ruiz Arcia, Dean of the Faculty; Master Eyesmell Mojena Pérez, General Secretary of the Party Committee at the Medical University; Dr Betsy Esperanza García Abad, Secretary of the UJC Committee; Jorge Reyes de la Paz, President of the FEU of the Avilanian Medical University; and Luis Ángel Campo Atenco, President of the FEU of the Faculty.

Also present were members of the University and Faculty Management Council, Party and Government authorities, as well as directors and officials from political and mass organisations of the territory, who accompanied the new professionals in this significant moment of culmination of their training and beginning of their mission in service of the Cuban people’s health.