Who is Fernando Hakim Daccach, the renowned neurosurgeon treating Miguel Uribe Turbay?

“May science and faith always work together every step of the way,” is one of the phrases that Dr. Fernando Hakim Daccach has shared in recent days, after being entrusted with the care of senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe , following the attack he suffered last Saturday, June 7. True to his beliefs, the head of the Neurosurgery Department at the Santa Fe Foundation University Hospital in Bogotá , asked for the company of Saint Charbel to face this mission.

“ Saint Charbel , intercessor of miracles, be with me in every surgery, guide my hands with wisdom, precision, and compassion,” said Dr. Hakim, demonstrating a fervor that, in the operating room, is accompanied by more than 30 years of experience in areas including brain, spinal cord, and spinal column pathologies. This knowledge was put to use in the operation he performed on the presidential candidate after the assassination attempt.

But this isn't the first time Dr. Hakim has found himself in the spotlight. In 2023, his name was also mentioned in press releases chronicling the successful surgery performed on 91-year-old William Mebarak Chadid , Shakira's father, who was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus . At that time, the neurosurgeon traveled to Cartagena to join the team of specialists at the high-complexity hospital.

The surgery was successful, and the Barranquilla singer thanked the neurosurgeon: "Thank you to the Serena del Mar Hospital for welcoming us. To Dr. Hakim, his team, the entire medical staff, and to you all for your messages of support for my father and our family."

He is an authority in his field. In Bogotá, Hakim directs the Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Clinical Care Center, the only one in the world accredited by the Joint Commission International for its high standards of quality and patient care. He is also a professor at the Universidad de los Andes and an associate professor in the neurosurgery specialization at Universidad El Bosque in Bogotá.

“My father was always a believer. He believed in God, with a conviction that science was an ally of faith. I learned from him that medicine is, above all, an act of love. He taught me that being a doctor was not just about knowledge, but also about spirituality. Today, every time I enter a hospital and speak with a patient, I feel him within me, in what I do, in what I believe, and in that calm that comes when you know you are not alone,” Dr. Hakim wrote four days ago on his Instagram account with some photos of his father, Dr. Salomón Hakim .

Another prestigious neurosurgeon who made his mark on the history of medicine in Colombia for his significant contributions in discovering the condition known as normal pressure hydrocephalus, a silent disease that affects older adults. This condition, for which the Barranquilla doctor also developed a new type of one-way valve in 1966 to regulate the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): the Hakim valve .

“I am the influence of my father, the love of my mother, the legacy of a family name, and the pride of practicing medicine,” Dr. Hakim states on his social media, in recognition of the legacy that impacted his training as a physician.

Amid Senator Uribe's attention, Dr. Hakim has not only received support from Colombians through his networks and the presidential candidate's family, but also from his own family.

For example, in one of their Instagram stories, Ivette and Denise Hakim stated: “Proud daughters of a doctor with a vocation. We grew up in a home where honesty, respect, and work with love were part of daily life. We come from a family of Maronite immigrants, people who got ahead through hard work, faith, and hands always busy building. In our home, we learned that medicine isn't just science: it's dedication, it's a vocation. And that we should never let go of faith, because it's where true strength lies.”

And they added: "That same faith that Saint Charbel inspires us with every day. As our house teaches you, vocation is lived with humility; everything is possible when you work with faith."

Dr. Hakim's two daughters are entrepreneurs. They founded Hakim's Pastry, a renowned pastry shop. In one of the stories on their company's Instagram account, the Hakim sisters shared how they founded their venture. "We built this dream together, each using her talents, with one clear rule from the beginning: to admire each other and respect each other's work. A good partnership isn't about agreeing on everything, but rather understanding that each person contributes what they do best. When that is truly valued, the business grows... and so does the relationship."