National Doctor’s Day in Cuba Date in the current year: December 3, 2024

Carlos Juan Finlay was born on December 3, 1833 in Camagüey to a Scottish-born father and a French-born mother. After attending school in France, he enrolled at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Following his graduation, Finlay returned to Cuba and set up an ophthalmology practice.

Alongside ophthalmology, Finlay was interested in epidemiology. In 1881, he theorized that a mosquito was a carrier of the yellow fever pathogen. A year later, Finlay discovered that it was members of the Aedeas genus that were responsible for transmitting the disease. Finlay’s hypothesis was confirmed in 1900 by the U.S. Yellow Fever Commission in Cuba, presided over by U.S. Army physician Major Walter Reed.

From 1902 to 1909, Finlay served as the chief health officer of Cuba. As a result of his work, he was nominated seven times for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, although he never became a winner.

Finlay’s birthday is celebrated in Cuba as National Doctor’s Day. The main goal of this professional day is to emphasize the contribution of Cuban doctors to the country’s healthcare system.