Américo Boavida
Encyclopedia
Américo Alberto de Barros e Assis Boavida (November 20, 1923 in Luanda
– September 25, 1968), generally known as Dr. Américo Boavida, was an Angola
n physician
active in his country's nationalist movement.
Also known as Ngola Kimbanda ("chief healer"), he attended Liceu Salvador Correia in Luanda and then traveled to Portugal
to study medicine at the University of Porto
. He returned to Angola in 1955 and went into private practice specializing in OB/GYN
until 1960, when he joined the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
(MPLA). Dr. Boavida became a member of the MPLA Directing Committee for external relations, based in Léopoldville
, where he also led the Angolan Volunteer Corps for Assistance of Refugees (CVAAR) from 1962 to 1963. In 1963, he left the Congo after the CVAAR was banned by the Congolese government (a period that also saw a major leadership crisis within the MPLA) and worked in Rabat
, Morocco
, for three years. It was in Morocco that he wrote Angola: Five Centuries of Portuguese Exploitation, an important Marxist critique of colonial rule.
In June 1967, Dr. Boavida was "actively integrated in the armed struggle of the Angolan people" and practiced and taught a mixture of modern and traditional medicine among members of the EPLA guerrilla army. He was killed in action in a Portuguese helicopter attack in 1968. A hospital in Luanda today bears his name.
Américo Boavida married Maria da Conceição Deolinda Dias Jerónimo in Lisbon
on August 21, 1958. They had one son, Mudumane Diógenes Van-Dúnem Boavida, born October 13, 1965.
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
– September 25, 1968), generally known as Dr. Américo Boavida, was an Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
active in his country's nationalist movement.
Also known as Ngola Kimbanda ("chief healer"), he attended Liceu Salvador Correia in Luanda and then traveled to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
to study medicine at the University of Porto
University of Porto
The University of Porto is a Portuguese public university located in Porto, and founded 22 March 1911. It is the largest Portuguese university by number of enrolled students and has one of the most noted research outputs in Portugal...
. He returned to Angola in 1955 and went into private practice specializing in OB/GYN
Obstetrics and gynaecology
Obstetrics and gynaecology are the two surgical–medical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state, respectively, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training programme...
until 1960, when he joined the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola - Labour Party is a political party that has ruled Angola since the country's independence from Portugal in 1975...
(MPLA). Dr. Boavida became a member of the MPLA Directing Committee for external relations, based in Léopoldville
Leopoldville
Leopoldville may refer to:* The capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, today known as Kinshasa* SS Leopoldville, a troopship sunk in 1944...
, where he also led the Angolan Volunteer Corps for Assistance of Refugees (CVAAR) from 1962 to 1963. In 1963, he left the Congo after the CVAAR was banned by the Congolese government (a period that also saw a major leadership crisis within the MPLA) and worked in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, for three years. It was in Morocco that he wrote Angola: Five Centuries of Portuguese Exploitation, an important Marxist critique of colonial rule.
In June 1967, Dr. Boavida was "actively integrated in the armed struggle of the Angolan people" and practiced and taught a mixture of modern and traditional medicine among members of the EPLA guerrilla army. He was killed in action in a Portuguese helicopter attack in 1968. A hospital in Luanda today bears his name.
Américo Boavida married Maria da Conceição Deolinda Dias Jerónimo in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
on August 21, 1958. They had one son, Mudumane Diógenes Van-Dúnem Boavida, born October 13, 1965.