Today in Philippine History: August 6, 2011, Fe Del Mundo, the country’s distinguished Pediatrician and National Scientist who conducted important pioneering researches on infectious diseases and dedicated much of her life to the cause of pediatrics in the country, died of cardiac arrest. She died 3 months before her 100th birthday on November 27, having been born in Intramuros, Manila in 1911. She was the sixth of eight children of Bernardo Del Mundo, a prominent lawyer from Marinduque and Paz Villanueva.
At age of 15 Dr. Del Mundo, entered the University of the Philippines and received an Associate in Arts after the completion of two years. She then entered medical school at the same institution. Five years later in 1933, she received her medical degree with highest honors in her class of 70 graduates. That year, she was awarded a medal as the “Most Outstanding Scholar in Medicine” by the Colegio Medico-Farmaceutico de Filipinas. In 1936, she was granted a scholarship by then President Manuel Quezon and obtained post-graduate training in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School for five years. In 1940, she received her M.A. in Bacteriology from Boston University in Massachusetts.
Quick Facts:
– Fe Del Mundo is the first female student admitted at Harvard Medical School.
– She founded the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines, the Children’s Medical Center now Dr. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center.
– Dr. Fe Del Mundo is credited with studies that lead to the invention of an improved incubator and a jaundice relieving device. She has dedicated her life to the cause of pediatrics in the Philippines.
– In 1966, Fe Del Mundo received the Elizabeth Blackwell Award for “Outstanding Service to Mankind”.
– In 1977, Fe Del Mundo received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for outstanding public service.
– She also received the 15th International Congress of Pediatrics award as most outstanding pediatrician and humanitarian in 1977.
– In 1980, she was conferred the rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines.
– In 2010, she was conferred the Order of Lakandula
– She died 3 months before her 100th birthday on November 27, having been born in Intramuros, Manila in 1911.