The capital pays tribute to a good man
The municipal council celebrates the popular doctor with a documentary premiere and commemorative ceremony
The City Hall of Puerto del Rosario will mark this Friday, April 17, the centenary of the birth of Don Arístides Hernández Morán, the beloved physician who defined an era in Majorero medicine.
His career, intertwined with the radical transformation of health care in Fuerteventura from the late 20th century to the early 21st century, has been recognized by numerous entities, collectives and institutions. Highlights include the Canary Islands Gold Medal (2010), the Spanish Red Cross Gold Medal, the Civil Order of Health awarded by the Ministry of Health in 2005, the Silver Medal of the Official College of Physicians, and the Cross of the Order of Military Merit, among others. He was also named Adopted Son of Puerto del Rosario in 1995 and received the Fuerteventura Award in the Adopted Son category from the island council.
“The centenary of Don Arístides is far more than a mere commemoration. It is an opportunity to pause and acknowledge a figure who devoted his life to caring for others during especially difficult times for our island. His vocation, his closeness, and his ability to be wherever he was needed are part of the collective memory of Puerto del Rosario. Speaking of him is speaking of a way of understanding public service through dedication and humanity—values that remain a benchmark for everyone.”
— David de Vera, Mayor of Puerto del Rosario
“We wanted to pay tribute worthy of what Don Arístides represents for Fuerteventura. This documentary not only traces his professional trajectory but also brings us closer to the man, his commitment and his legacy. Through initiatives like this, we enable new generations to understand where we come from and to appreciate the path taken, putting a face and emotion onto our recent history.”
— Juan Manuel Verdugo, Councilor for Culture
The ceremony will take place at the Casa de la Cultura in Puerto del Rosario, starting at 7 p.m. on Friday. It will gather friends and relatives of the renowned physician, who passed away in 2020, and will celebrate his hundred‑year birthday with the premiere of the documentary “Don Arístides: Doctor by Vocation,” produced by the local company Pastorcillo Films.
The event adds to other recognitions the local government has bestowed over the years to highlight the doctor’s work, such as the request for the Merit for Work award from the state government, the conferment of the Adopted Son of Puerto del Rosario title, and an exhibition on his career and historical impact organized by the Municipal Library of Puerto del Rosario.
Don Arístides Hernández Morán practiced medicine in Fuerteventura from 1953 onward. He began with home‑care as a rural doctor on an island lacking basic health infrastructure, later leading major prevention and vaccination campaigns that eradicated severe epidemics such as tuberculosis. A founding member of the Spanish Red Cross assembly in Fuerteventura, he chaired the local organization for years and secured the island’s first ambulance. Specialised in dermatology, internal medicine, and family‑community medicine, his career witnessed the evolution from a resource‑scarce, infrastructure‑less practice to the establishment of a modern hospital. He served as the chief physician of Puerto del Rosario, Island Health Director, Coordinator of the Puerto del Rosario Health Center, physician at the Virgen de la Peña Hospital, and doctor at the Insular Hospital.