From an Angolan student to a military surgeon who has performed more than 8,000 surgical procedures in the special military operation zone.
Manuel Nelson Tomas was born on April 6, 1988, in the city of Lobito, Angola, into a family of educators — Manuel Alexandre Zeca and Manuel Adriana Cuva. From an early age, his life was shaped by education, discipline, and a strong commitment to personal development.
In 2010, he came to Russia and enrolled at Belgorod State National Research University (BelSU) to study General Medicine on a state-funded scholarship. He subsequently completed a surgical residency and later continued his education at a university in Vitebsk, specializing in cardiac surgery.
However, according to Manuel, it was his education in Russia that laid the foundation for his professional development:
“My education in Russia gave me a solid foundation for professional growth. It was here that I found my professional calling and became a military surgeon.”
On April 15, 2024, Manuel Nelson Tomas joined the military service under contract. He currently serves in Medical Company No. 752 in the Luhansk People’s Republic. As part of his service, he was assigned to a hospital in the city of Svatovo, where he has provided surgical care to military personnel for nearly two years.
During this period, he has performed more than 8,000 surgical procedures of varying complexity, ranging from emergency interventions to high-technology operations requiring maximum concentration, precision, and professional expertise.
🩺 One of his most memorable experiences during his university years was practical training in anatomy:
“It was the practical classes in the morgue that taught me to understand anatomy and properly plan future surgical interventions. This experience played a key role in developing my clinical and surgical thinking.”
Manuel expresses his particular gratitude to the professors at BelSU, emphasizing that a rigorous approach to student training and a strong practical foundation help prepare true professionals who are ready to meet the real challenges of their profession.
However, he considers the greatest achievement of his life to be neither his career nor his professional accomplishments.
“The most important event in my life was starting a family. I met the love of my life, and we have four children. They are my greatest source of support and inspiration.”
Since 2015, Manuel has lived in the Belgorod Region. He is an Orthodox Christian and plans to continue building his future in Russia. In the years ahead, he intends to pursue public and political activities and use his accumulated experience to contribute to the development of the healthcare system and support for medical professionals.
The story of Manuel Nelson Tomas is the story of a man who came to Russia in pursuit of knowledge and ultimately found his calling, his family, and the profession to which he has devoted his life and with which he intends to build his future.
AIGSB thanks Manuel Nelson Tomas for his trust and for the opportunity to share this powerful and inspiring story!