History

The José Fernández Madrid Order of Medical Merit (Orden del Mérito Sanitario "José Fernández Madrid") was established on July 22, 1950, and was regulated on March 27, 1952.

It is currently awarded to medical personnel and member of the Colombian Army Forces who display heroism, courage and merit in the service of military medicine, science or researching.

The grades are Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, Knight, and Member. It is not clear if the grade denotes the rank of the recipient.

José Luis Álvaro Alvino Fernández Madrid (1789 – 1830) was a Neogranadine (now Colombia) statesman, physician, scientist and writer, who was President of the United Provinces of New Granada in 1814 and 1816. After the Spaniards retook New Granada, he was barred from the country and was exiled in Havana, where he continued his scientific studies and worked as a doctor. He was later pardoned and allowed to come back to Colombia, and was appointed ambassador to France and to the United Kingdom where he died in 1830.

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