
Dr. Richard ‘Doc’ Izquierdo, dies at 90
Bronx community mourns the passing of Urban Health Plan founder
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BY JASON COHEN
He led a social justice movement
in the 1970s to provide
health care for Latinos in the
south Bronx and nearly 50 years
ago founded Urban Health Plan
(UHP).
Sadly, at the age of 90, Dr.
Richard “Doc” Izquierdo passed
away Sunday night.
Throughout his life, Doc
worked tirelessly to improve
health care in the south Bronx.
He was a long time member and
fi rst chairperson of Community
Board 2 and he led the fi ght to restore
the south Bronx after hundreds
left the area due to drugs,
fi res, poverty and redlining.
In 2010, he and his daughter
Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez,
who serves as CEO of UHP,
founded the Dr. Richard Izquierdo
Health & Science Charter
School at 800 Home St. This was
the fi rst charter school in NYC
to offer educational programs
geared toward preparing students
for jobs in the health care
sector.
“With a wonderful sense of
humor and no-nonsense attitude,
Doc brought his wealth of knowledge,
compassion and love to everything
he did,” Urban Health
said in a statement. “He loved
music and dancing and had a
deep respect for his profession.
We will miss his generous spirit,
his kindness, his big heart and
his even bigger love for life.”
Izquierdo was a life-long resident
of the south Bronx and a
pediatrician and family practitioner.
Because of the lack of primary
care services in the area,
many residents had grown accustomed
to waiting on long lines in
local hospital emergency rooms
for routine medical care or for the
treatment of acute medical conditions,
which could have been prevented
if diagnosed earlier.
Dr. Izquierdo opened the
San Juan Health Center in 1967.
Seven years later, UHP, a private,
nonprofi t corporation licensed by
the Department of Health, was established
to broaden the scope of
the work started by the San Juan
Health Center.
Many people expressed praise
and condolences to Izquierdo on
social media. Among them was
Borough President Ruben Diaz.
“Doc” was not only Diaz’s pediatrician,
but his son’s as well. In
fact, in 2015 he was given the key
to the borough.
“He was not just a doctor, but
a role model, fi ghting for community,”
Diaz said on Twitter. “Dr.
Izquierdo was also nimble on his
feet with his fl ashy salsa moves. I
know he’s dancing in heaven. I’m
going to miss him dearly.”
For many years, he was one
of the few doctors in the community.
He became an icon for the
neighborhood and a person that
was always sought out. He truly
became “The Urban Country
Doctor.”
In 1967, he was appointed by
Borough President Herman Badillo
to be the fi rst chairman of
the newly formed Community
Planning Board. He also served
as the Chairman of the 41st Precinct
Community Council for 14
years.
Doc has served on numerous
and varied organizations. He
hosted a radio program called
“Puerto Rican Panorama” on
NBC and interviewed over 150
prominent Puerto Ricans. He
has been an active member of the
Bronx Medical Society and the
Medical Society of the State of
New York, as well as the Spanish
American Medical-Dental Society
since 1962.
Councilman Rafael Salamanca
also refl ected on the departed.
“Dr. Izquierdo was a mentor
to me growing up and a beloved
leader in more ways than
one,” Salamanca said on Twitter.
“Throughout my years at
Urban Health Plan Inc. and well
past that time, I knew, without a
doubt, I could always turn to Doc
for advice, as so did many others.
Doc’s love for dedication to his
community remains awe-inspiring
and for that I will always remember
him with profound admiration.”
Dr. Richard “Doc” Izquierdo passed away Sunday Courtesy of UHP