The Latino Commission on AIDS (Latino AIDS) recognized Puerto Rican physician Iván Meléndez-Rivera with the “Esperanza” award at its Annual “Cielo” Gala for his contributions to the field of public health in Puerto Rico.
Dr. Meléndez-Rivera joined the list as the only Puerto Rican to receive this award this year and the second in the history of this organization. The award is an important recognition in the Latino community in the United States and has previously been awarded to renowned world-class health professionals such as Xavier Becerra, Antoni Fauci and Rachel Levine, among others.
“This award is a testament to the collective efforts to face the public health challenges we face in Puerto Rico. It encourages us to continue fighting for a healthier and more equitable future for all,” said Meléndez Rivera during the award ceremony.
Meléndez-Rivera has focused her practice on improving the quality of life for people living with HIV and has left a significant mark on the LGBTQ+ community.
Meléndez-Rivera took advantage of the occasion to call on the community of doctors and health professionals to be more sensitive in their practice. “To address the public health challenges of our time we need health professionals who are sensitive to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community,” she urged.
The awardee is the founder of the Ararat Center and for more than two decades has offered primary medicine services in its clinics in Ponce, San Juan, Juana Díaz and Arecibo. This Center also has a Public Health department that is dedicated to research and has the Translucent Clinic, two pharmacies, and the first and only specialized clinic for transgender people in Puerto Rico.
“I still remember the first day of Centro Ararat. I was afraid but I was convinced that we had to raise awareness about how people diagnosed with HIV and also the LGBT community should be treated in health centers. It wasn’t just being treated like patients; our duty was to give them a safe space where they felt peace, love and security. And now 22 years have passed, six clinics and thousands of people treated,” said the doctor.
The Commission recognized that his leadership has been fundamental in promoting awareness, prevention, and access to medical care in Puerto Rico. “Dr. Iván Meléndez-Rivera embodies the personal and medical commitment, passion, humility and sensitivity to design a world without AIDS,” said Guillermo Chacón, president of the Latino Commission on AIDS.
The Latino Commission on AIDS’ Esperanza Award honors leaders working to achieve a world without HIV and AIDS through medical research and treatment. The Commission is a nonprofit organization, created in 1990, that promotes HIV education and develops prevention programs for people in high-risk communities.
Dr. Meléndez-Rivera dedicated the award to her husband and co-founder of Centro Ararat, Juan Rivera, and her daughter Ivanna Sofía. She also extended her gratitude to all the colleagues, collaborators and patients who have been an integral part of her work.
To learn more about the Ararat Center, its clinics and services, you can visit www.centroararat.org.
