MIAMI – Dr. Isaac “Saky” Abadi, a prominent Venezuelan rheumatologist who founded the country’s National Center for Rheumatic Diseases, died Wednesday in Miami of COVID-19, colleagues and relatives confirmed on Friday. He was 84.
Abadi was born in Merida, a city in northwestern Venezuela. He graduated from the Universidad de los Andes’ medical school as a surgeon. The fellow at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York was a member of the Rheumatology Service of the University Hospital of Caracas.
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Abadi was also the head of the Chair of Medical Clinic and Medical Therapeutics at the Luis Razetti School of Medicine. He continued lecturing at the Universidad Central de Venezuela’s medical school and made improvements to the educational curriculum of the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance.
Our dear uncle Dr. Isaac Abadi Z’L left us yesterday to #covid19. He was a beloved trailblazer in the field of #Rheumatology. A teacher of generations of Physicians and above all, a fantastic mentor to us, his nephews, nieces, sons and daughters. We will honor your memory!
— Alexander Rosemberg (@AlexRosemberg) April 2, 2020
Mi Tío & mentor passed away in our ICU from #COVID19 💔. Despite months preparing for this #pandemic we could not save him. #Brilliant #compassionate #pioneer 🇻🇪 shaped my life and & ❤️ for medicine. Z”L Tio Saki 🙏🏻 https://t.co/j36H6nEWEl
— Lilian Abbo (@liliabbo) April 2, 2020