The medical community of the province of Ciego de Ávila mourns the loss of Dr. Rafael Yan Bacallao, a specialist in Caumatology and Aesthetic Surgery who dedicated decades of his life to the Roberto Rodríguez Fernández Teaching General Hospital in Morón. According to a Facebook post by a fellow student, the doctor passed away in Havana due to an illness.
The news was confirmed by the Provincial Council of Scientific Health Societies of Ciego de Ávila, which issued an official condolence statement highlighting the doctor's career: «The Provincial Council of Scientific Health Societies of Ciego de Ávila deeply regrets the passing of Dr. Rafael Yan, specialist in Caumatology and Aesthetic Surgery, who worked at the Roberto Rodríguez Fernández General Teaching Hospital in Morón».
The most remembered legacy of Dr. Yan is the establishment of the Burn Unit of that institution, a pioneering service in the specialized care of burn patients in the province of Ciego de Ávila. According to the Scientific Societies Council itself, "he was the founder of this service and opened its doors in June 1991, starting a story of commitment and dedication to the care of burn patients."
Burn care is the medical-surgical specialty dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of individuals with burns. In Cuba, the specialized burn unit established in 1957 at the Joaquín Albarrán Surgical Hospital in Havana is considered a foundational reference, and the official training of specialists in this field began in the 1960s. The ward initiated by Dr. Yan in Morón represented, three decades later, an expansion of that history into the interior of the country.
Dr. Yan was a member of the Cuban Society of Plastic Surgery and Burn Care. His classmates from the 74-75 course at Ceballos 4 also mourned his passing on social media: "To all the students of Ceballos 4 from the 74-75 course, we woke up today to very sad news, Dr. Rafael Yan Bacallao has passed away in Havana, a victim of an unforgiving illness," wrote one of them.
Affectionately known as "El Chino," Dr. Yan left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him. A colleague from the Roberto Rodríguez Hospital expressed on social media: "Today upon waking, I received the sad news of your passing. Believe me, it's not easy to process because there are people like you who, more than a colleague for many years, became family [...] always attentive, present with that outpouring of empathy, wisdom, and a unique character."
The same professional emphasized that "our profession at Hospital Roberto Rodríguez deeply feels your departure for having been that great dedicated doctor, beloved and respected by all."
The wave of condolences on social media brought together colleagues, former students, patients, and neighbors. Some remembered him as a "great specialist" and "excellent professional"; others referred to him as a "professor" and "wonderful human being." His wife and children received condolences from dozens of people who shared messages of sorrow and gratitude.
The death of Dr. Yan occurs in a context of severe deterioration of the Cuban healthcare system, characterized by shortages of medicines, crumbling hospital infrastructure, and a sustained exodus of medical professionals that has weakened care across the country. So far in 2026, several deaths of Cuban doctors have been reported, both inside and outside the island, which have deeply affected the national medical community.
The Provincial Council of Scientific Health Societies of Ciego de Ávila concluded its statement with a phrase that encapsulates the collective sentiment: "His professional work and legacy will remain in the history of Avilan medicine." His colleagues bid him farewell with the words he earned in life: "Rest in peace, Chino."
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