DR. BERNARD ANDREW SORHAINDO
(January 18th. 1934 - August 3rd. 2007)
Bernard Andrew Sorhaindo was born in Vielle Case, Dominica, to Clive and Rosa Sorhaindo. His father was the Head Teacher of the village Primary School. There, Bernard received his primary education, and won a Government scholarship to attend the Dominica Grammar School.
Bernard was an excellent student and a renaissance man - participating in soccer, athletics and theatre. To all who knew him, he was a gentleman and a scholar. He had an outstanding academic career at the Grammar School, won the Island Scholarship in 1952, and went on to pursue studies in Medicine at the University College of the West Indies (now UWI) in Jamaica. He graduated in 1959 with M.B., B.S. degrees - the first Dominican to graduate from UWI Faculty of Medicine, where he left a reputation for proficiency and empathy.
Following his internship at the UWI Hospital in Jamaica, Dr. Sorhaindo returned to Dominica to serve as District Medical Officer in the village of Grandbay, and subsequently in the town of Portsmouth. He made rounds to the surrounding villages, sometimes by foot or horseback. And he performed the functions of physician, anaesthetist, surgeon and even dentist. He was a conscientious and devoted physician, who was always loyal to his friends and associates.
After completing post-graduate studies in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Hospital in Jamaica, and at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in London, Dr. Sorhaindo was admitted to the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Upon his return to Dominica in 1967, he was appointed Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the Dominica Medical Service. Subsequently, he served as a member of the Caribbean Committee of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and from 1978 to 1992, as preceptor at the Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica. Bernard also took an active part in the Dominica Medical Association, and participated in numerous medical conferences, making significant presentations and important contributions in his specialty. He also played an active role in the training of Dominican nurses and midwives.
Dr. Sorhaindo received numerous accolades for his distinguished contribution to medicine. In 1977 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE); and in 1988 he was made a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. For his dedicated service which epitomized the lofty aims expected of UWI graduates, and for his outstanding contribution to medicine in the Caribbean, Dr. Sorhaindo was awarded the prestigious UWI Alumni Award of Excellence in 2003. In 2004, he received one of Dominica's highest honors, the Sisserou Award of Honor.
Bernard retired from the Dominica Medical Service in 1993 and was later featured in a Dominica Broadcasting Service Radio Series, "100 Great Dominicans". This program contained numerous tributes from medical colleagues and former patients, highlighting Dr. Sorhaindo's sterling contribution to medicine in Dominica and the Caribbean, particularly in the area of Maternal and Child Health Care.
Bernard was married to Althea Garth of Jamaica, and had two sons - Mark Andrew and David Bernard, and one daughter, Arlene Ann. Mark and Arlene followed their father's footsteps, pursuing careers in Medicine. Bernard enjoyed fishing and gardening; and, along with his wife Althea, gave of his time to Catholic lay apostolate work in the Parish of St. Alphonsus - especially in the Engaged and Marriage Encounter Ministry.
For his sterling contribution to medicine, and for his dedication to his patients and community, DAAS honors Dr. Bernard Andrew Sorhaindo.
Contributed by:
Rupert Sorhaindo
November 2007
See also:
The Dominican
Tribute to Dr. Bernard Sorhaindo
