Coinciding with the 55th birthday of Dr. Franco Ravera Zunino, a prominent neurosurgeon who died in December 2022, the significant ceremony was held on Friday, March 22, in which the name change of the main healthcare center in the O region was made official. ‘Higgins, which was renamed Hospital “Dr. “Franco Ravera Zunino”.
This decision, supported by a large majority by the community and the authorities, materialized as a posthumous tribute to Dr. Ravera, who left a mark in the memory of the user and civil servant community. Thus, all those who esteemed his name packed the Auditorium Hall accompanying the neurosurgeon’s family at the time of unveiling the plaque that makes the new name of the health center official.
Known for creating the Neurosurgery Service of the then called Rancagua Regional Hospital, of which he was also director, participating in different medical initiatives for the benefit of patients and president of the Neurosurgery Society of Chile. Dr. Franco Ravera Zunino is a national leader in medicine, who today received a solemn tribute, headed by the Minister of Health, giving his name to the main healthcare center in the O’Higgins region, just over a year after his heartfelt death.
Dr. Ravera, recognized for his technical excellence and human quality, was head of the Neurosurgery service at the Regional Hospital, where he played a fundamental role in the development of this specialty in the region. His commitment to public health and dedication to his patients made him a benchmark in the medical community and beyond.
The initiative to change the name of the hospital arose from a citizen campaign promoted by the O’Higgins community, supported by thousands of signatures and messages of support, a request that was presented to the Regional Council, where it was received with enthusiasm and approved by a wide most. The request was sent to the Ministry of Health where they approved the name of Dr. Franco Ravera Zunino Regional Hospital to become a reality, thus commemorating the eternal legacy of an extraordinary human being.
“I signed the resolution that officially authorizes the name change of the Rancagua Hospital to Dr. Franco Ravera Zunino Hospital, and this was thanks to the community that managed the process and the authorities that supported the initiative,” said the Minister of Health, Dr. Ximena Aguilera, adding that “Dr. Ravera was recognized through the different testimonies for his humanization. I hope that these values are perpetuated over time, since they are tremendously relevant. For us it is super important that we advance as a health system in a more humanized treatment.”
“WE HOPE YOU REMEMBER HIS WORK, WHAT HE CONTRIBUTED, BECAUSE HE DELIVERED HIMSELF BODY AND SOUL TO THE SERVICE”
In the instance, the entire family of the neurosurgeon participated, among them, Catalina Ravera, the doctor’s eldest daughter, who said “For us as a family we believe in synchrony, that everything happens for a reason, and in this case we are sure that this was the day to remember, honor and give my dad’s name to the hospital. We hope they remember his work, what he contributed, because he gave himself body and soul to the Neurosurgery Service, to the hospital, to public health. “That was his passion.”
While Colomba Ravera said that the affection felt “It is totally immense, there are no words to describe this feeling. I feel that everything flowed in the right direction so that everything was on this day. It is also a very special day because it is also my mother’s birthday and we always celebrate our birthday as a family, so that his professional work is also celebrated on the same day he was born with my mother and my family is totally immense and very wonderful. I remember him with great affection, because, even though he worked hard, he always took the time to say goodbye, to kiss us goodnight, to tell us the story, or to catch up on our homework, despite Whether he was tired, or had to make reports the next day, he was always there.
This name change is not only a tribute to an exceptional physician, but also a recognition of his invaluable contribution to public health and a symbol of the deep gratitude and admiration that the community has for Dr. Franco Ravera Zunino.
President of the O’Higgins Medical College, Dr. Sonia Correa:
“When people ask who Dr. Ravera was, know the great work he did and the great legacy he left.”
At the meeting, the president of the O’Higgins Medical College, Dr. Sonia Correa said “He within all the areas in which he was working, whether in neurosurgery, forming the service almost from scratch, as well as in management areas, He had a great presence. He knew how to unite wills, he knew how to lead work teams and get ahead. He was always a machine for making projects, a machine for working, for being in favor of the health of his patients, always being worried about a thousand things at a time and doing a thousand things correctly.”
Correa added “He was a great reference among his colleagues, but he was also humble because in areas in which he could not handle himself, he asked for support and everything was for the well-being of his patients. This great achievement that the Regional Hospital bears his name is very important, because it follows the path that the great doctors of the institutions are remembered by the following generations and that, when people ask who Dr. Franco Ravera was, they know the great work that he accomplished and the great legacy he left.”
Erika Acuña, creator of the petition to change the name of the Regional Hospital to Dr. Franco Ravera Zunino
“The platform was very impressed with this petition, because in one week we achieved 12,000 signatures, which had never been achieved by a citizen petition in Latin America”
Erika Acuña, the creator of the petition that sought to change the name of the Regional Hospital to Dr. Franco Ravera Zunino, said that “Seeing a full cathedral, seeing that Dr. Ravera’s farewell speeches said I hope the name of the Hospital is Ravera, the recognition, the good words do not have to remain memories, they have to become actions. And we said, let’s do it. One way to do it was for it to be a request from the community, not from the authority in power, nor from a parliamentarian on duty, but with the support of everyone.”
Acuña added that “The platform was very impressed with this petition, because in one week we achieved 12,000 signatures. And having so many signatures had never been achieved by a previous citizen petition in Latin America. In one year it grew 2,000 more, but we obtained 12,000 signatures a week. If one reads the comments why he signed the signature, it was enriching, but absolutely”, remembering in this that Dr. Ravera was “An honest, close, loving guy, tremendously committed to what he believed in, and who loved to operate. And that despite that hobby of operating that he had, he took the time to support public health.”
Senator Juan Luis Castro:
“It is a challenge for the hospital to have this name because this name means progress, modernity, change, work, effort and humanization.”
For the former president of the Senate health commission, Juan Luis Castro, “This is a very emotional moment, because the hospital will bear his name forever because he led it, he was the best professional. He was able to found neurosurgery in Rancagua and the area; and today this is crowned with the legacy that he wanted for the entire city, the population that he served, which means making available his figure, his image, his leadership for the future and for the best changes in the Rancagua Regional Hospital that it has so many tasks to absorb one hundred thousand people who are currently waiting for consultation or specialty care in this hospital, which is the most complex. It is a challenge for the hospital to have this name because this name means progress, modernity, change, work, effort and humanization. That is what Dr. Ravera leaves here.”
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