Health workers, colleagues, former students, and patients bid farewell in Havana to Doctor Eduardo Chacón Bayard, a specialist in Internal Medicine at the 27 de Noviembre Polyclinic in Marianao, who died while providing medical services in Mexico.
The Municipal Health Department of Marianao informed this Wednesday about the farewell and highlighted the professional and personal journey of the doctor.
«Today we bid farewell with deep sorrow, but also with immense pride, to our Dr. Eduardo Chacón Bayard, specialist in Internal Medicine at the Polyclinic 27 de Noviembre,» the institution stated in a message typical of the official stance.
The entity highlighted that the doctor had left Cuba to provide health services abroad and praised their "courage, unyielding vocation, and an ethical commitment that transcends borders".
"His departure leaves us with an indelible void, but his legacy remains intact in every life he saved and in the hearts of every colleague, patient, and family member who had the good fortune to know him," he added.
In another post dedicated to the specialist, his work in Mexico was explicitly recalled.
"His internationalist work in Mexico is a testament to his vocation, dedication, and commitment to humanity. Today we remember him not only as an exemplary professional but also as a human being who instilled hope and relief in every patient," the message states.
The Municipal Health Directorate of Marianao concluded its tribute to Eduardo Chacón Bayard with a final farewell: "Rest in peace. Your mission has been fulfilled."
Chacón Bayard had been found dead in July in the hotel room where he was staying in Ometepec, a municipality in the Mexican state of Guerrero.
The specialist had been working for more than two years at the IMSS-Bienestar General Hospital in that locality, in the Coastal region.
The authorities did not officially disclose the cause of his death; however, initial reports pointed to a possible death from natural causes and even mentioned the possibility of a heart attack, although that version was not officially confirmed.
Her death has since prompted numerous expressions of sorrow among patients and colleagues in Ometepec, who highlighted her close manner, her dedication to service, and her willingness to assist those who came to the hospital.
Now, with the farewell in Havana, messages from former students, colleagues, and patients who knew him as a doctor, teacher, and friend have once again multiplied.
One of his former students wrote: "Rest in peace, Professor Chacón. Thank you for the years you taught us to be the professionals we are today."
We will never forget your laughter, your charisma, the elegant way you addressed your students, colleagues, and patients. We miss you always, and we will honor you each morning when we put on the white coat, she added.
Another message expressed gratitude for his professional contributions: "We will always remember you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your contributions."
They also remembered him for his human dimension. "He was not only an excellent doctor, but he also showed through the years that he was a great friend, regarded as a brother," expressed another person.
Among the farewells, messages such as "I will always remember him and carry him in my heart until the end of my days" and "my clinician and friend for nearly my entire life, I will always carry him in my heart" were repeated.
Chacón Bayard is not the first doctor to die in Mexico.
In January 2025, Dr. Asiel Pérez Rocillo passed away suddenly while providing services in the state of Puebla.
She was a specialist in Family Medicine and worked at the Comprehensive Hospital of Xicotepec.
Months later, another Cuban doctor unexpectedly passed away in Xalapa, Veracruz, while fulfilling a mission in that country.
His body was found in the home where he lived, and reports indicated that there were no signs of violence.
The presence of Cuban healthcare professionals in Mexico is also taking place amidst significant questioning of the conditions of the so-called medical missions.
Doctors and organizations have reported the withholding of a significant portion of their salaries, movement restrictions, and other employment limitations.
In April, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights urged countries in the region to withdraw from the Cuban Medical Missions Program and pointed out signs of forced labor, wage retention, and other violations of rights.
The Cuban government rejects these accusations and defends these agreements as programs of international cooperation.
Related videos:
Filed under: