Deep sorrow for the death of Javier Salmeán

Madrid, February 23rd, 2023. Women for Africa is in mourning. Yesterday Javier Martínez Salmeán passed away in Madrid. He was a great gynecologist and a committed man, who throughout his career, not only provided the best clinical care to hundreds of women, but also fought for the rights of all women.

Salmeán belonged to the group of gynecologists who, during the end of Franco’s regime, dared to create the first family planning centers, at a time when contraceptives and termination of pregnancy were forbidden.

He always fought in favor of women, advised in the drafting of the first abortion law that we had in our country and defended progressive causes, in which he deeply believed, in the health field and beyond.

Although he was still head of the Gynecology Service at Severo Ochoa Hospital, Javier Salmeán did not hesitate to accept, in an absolutely altruistic way, to become the medical director of our Stop Fistula project, and led several surgical missions at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Monrovia, where we were based. There he operated, together with his wife Estíbaliz, also a physician, and the magnificent group of surgeons, gynecologists, anesthesiologists and nurses who collaborated in the project, on hundreds of women ruptured by fistula.

Women for Africa would like to publicly convey its deepest sympathy to his family, friends and all those who feel that today we have lost one of our own.