The Medical Association of Antigua and Barbuda (MAAB) has issued a formal statement mourning the passing of retired General Surgeon Dr. Ramamurthi Bekal, who died peacefully at his home on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. He was 94.
Dr. Bekal dedicated more than 35 years of service to the Holberton Hospital, establishing himself as a foundational figure in Antigua and Barbuda's surgical community. His career extended well beyond the operating theatre — he was widely regarded as a repository of medical institutional knowledge and a committed mentor whose influence shaped generations of physicians across the country.
The MAAB remembered him for his quiet demeanor, compassion, and tireless advocacy for patients. His bedside manner, colleagues noted, exemplified the belief that clinical excellence is most powerful when accompanied by empathy and humility.
"His legacy lives on in the lives he saved and the medical professionals he inspired to practice with the same integrity and grace he displayed every day," the Association said in its statement.
The MAAB, speaking on behalf of the broader medical fraternity, extended its deepest sympathies to Dr. Bekal's family, friends, and colleagues. The Association asked for prayers for the Bekal family during this difficult time.
