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Obituary
'National treasure' Harry Seftel dies
Well-known South African medical expert Professor Harry Seftel – whom President Cyril Ramaphosa described as a "national treasure" – died last week at the...
The doyen of child health: Glenda Gray pays tribute to Jerry Coovadia
Professor Hoosen “Jerry” Coovadia, renowned academic and prominent anti-apartheid activist who died on 4 October aged 83, was revered as the doyen of child...
Death of trailblazer Aids scientist Prof Jerry Coovadia
The South African medical fraternity is mourning the death of Professor Hoosen Jerry Coovadia, the renowned academic and anti-apartheid activist who died at his...
Death of iconic nutrition facts food label designer
Burkey Belser, the graphic designer who created the ubiquitous nutrition facts label – a stark rectangle listing calories, fat, sodium and other content information...
Creator of Dolly the sheep dies at 79
One of the creators of the world’s first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, has died at the age of 79.
The work of Professor Sir...
Dr Elvira Singh of the National Cancer Registry
With “capable leadership and guidance”, Elvira Singh, who died on Sunday 27 February, revitalised the National Cancer Registry, eliminating the backlog that negatively affected...
Death of pioneering vascular surgeon Prof Cobus van Marle
Pioneering vascular surgeon Professor Cobus van Marle, who made South African medical history in 1998 when he successfully completed the first minimally invasive endovascular...
Leading neurosurgeon’s death from COVID-19 ‘a blow to Uganda’
The death of Ugandan neurosurgeon John Baptist Mukasa, who died of COVID-19 in June, has been a tremendous blow to the country, say colleagues,...
Leading neurosurgeon’s death from COVID-19 ‘a blow to Uganda’
The death of Ugandan neurosurgeon John Baptist Mukasa, who died of COVID-19 in June, has been a tremendous blow to the country, say colleagues,...
Dr Allan Soundy: A stalwart of GaRankuwa’s medical community
The dedication, warmth and professionalism of the late Dr Allan Soundy, a general practitioner and friend to many in GaRankuwa and the wider South...
John Magufuli: Africa's most vehement COVID-19 sceptic dies
Tanzania's president John Magufuli, Africa's most vehement coronavirus sceptic, has died following an 18-day absence from public life that drew speculation about whether he...
Dr Sarah Fakoodreen: A giant in palliative care
The South African palliative care community mourns the sudden passing of Dr Sarah Fakoodreen at the age of 72 on 14 March 2021.
Writes colleague...
Death of SAPPF's long-serving CEO Dr Chris Archer
Dr Chris Archer, CEO of the SA Private Practitioners’ Forum (SAPPF) for 13 years, has died, reports MedicalBrief.
SAPPF CEO Dr Simon Strachan, who took...
Forensic pathologist Prof Johan Dempers dies of COVID-19
The man who played an essential role in providing evidence to convict axe murderer, Henri van Breda, and child killer, Mortimer Saunders, has died...
Dr Aubrey Mokoape: Activist and former PAC and BCM leader
Dr Nchaupe Aubrey Mokoape (1944-2020), who in the 1980s won a landmark case over being struck from the medical roll following his jailing on...
Professor Hugh Philpott: A giant of South African medicine
Professor Hugh Philpott (1927-2020) died peacefully at his home in Durban in December. He was one of the gentle giants of South African medicine,...
Chair of SA's medical schemes regulator succumbs to COVID-19
The chair of the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS), Clarence Mini, has died from COVID-19, Business Day reports the regulator’s spokesperson confirmed.
The report says...
Eminent SA HIV researcher dies from COVID-19-related complications
Eminent HIV researcher Gita Ramjee died from COVID-19-related complications at a Durban hospital last week, the most high-profile victim of the disease in South...
Public health activist David Sanders dies
The sudden and unexpected death of public health activist and teacher Professor David Sanders has left the health community in South Africa and beyond...
Carol Ann Thomas: Pioneering gynaecological specialist
Dr Carol Ann Thomas, gynaecological specialist, advocate and innovator for women’s health, has died, at the height of her professional career, of complications following...
Health24's founder dies following stroke
Dr Danie Pauw, 56, head of News24's sister publication Health24, has died.
News24 quotes the 24.com head Andreij Horn as saying that Pauw (56) was...
SA's medical fraternity mourns respected cardiologist's death
It is impossible to count the ways in which Professor Bongani Mayosi – a cardiologist‚ researcher‚ and dean of the health sciences faculty at...
Claire Penn, world leader in health communication, dies at 66
Claire Penn, who has died in Johannesburg at the age of 66, was a professor of speech pathology and audiology at the University of...
US philanthropist who trained thousands of black SA medical professionals dies
Herbert Kaiser, a US Foreign Service officer who in retirement raised $27m to pursue a second career as president of a non-profit organisation that...
A founding father of chemotherapy dies at 92
James Holland, a founding father of chemotherapy who helped pioneer a lifesaving drug treatment for paediatric leukaemia patients, has died at his home in...
US doctor who championed compassionate care dies at 92
Dr Arnold Gold, a paediatric neurologist whose belief in the importance of an empathetic bedside manner led him and his wife to create a...
Revolutionary neuroscientist and transgender activist
Acclaimed Stanford University neuroscientist, Dr Ben Barres, has died, 20 months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 63. Barres’ path-breaking discoveries of...
Pioneer in Cape Town's pathology service sector dies
The death of a man described as a pioneer in the pathology service sector has been described as a loss to not only those...
'Primal scream' psychotherapist Janov dies at 93
Arthur Janov, the psychotherapist whose “primal therapy” had celebrities screaming to release their childhood traumas and spawned a bestselling book in the 1970s, has...
Kurt Worrall-Clare dies
Kurt Worrall-Clare, acting CEO of the National Hospital Network and past CEO and current board member of the Hospital Association of SA, has died.
The Hospital Association...
Pioneering in vitro Durban gynaecologist dies
Dr Paul Boulle, well-known gynaecologist who was among the pioneers of in vitro fertilisation in Durban, has died at the age of 84.
Durban’s first...
HIV/Aids researcher who forced Mbeki U-turn drowns in Florida
Mark Wainberg, who died recently at the age of 71, was a frontline HIV/Aids researcher from Canada who played a key role in forcing...
Mariëtte Botes: ARV pioneer who became the victim of abuse and hostility
Dr Mariëtte Botes, who has died in Pretoria at the age of 50, was an early pioneer of antiretroviral cocktails that saved the lives...
Pioneering UCT-trained doctor leaves training legacy
Dr Hawa Patel, one of the first female black medical graduates from the University of Cape Town, recently died in Canada, aged 93. Through...
Registrar and CEO of Council of Medical Schemes dies
The Council for Medical Schemes registrar and CEO, Dr Humphrey Zokufa, has died on after a short illness, reports Business Day.
He was an outspoken pharmacist-turned-health administrator...
The inventor of the Heimlich manoeuvre dies
Henry Heimlich, the American doctor who invented the life-saving manoeuvre carrying his name, has died, aged 96.
His son announced his death, saying he passed...
Raoul de Villiers
Renowned Cape Town surgeon Professor Raoul de Villiers, who worked alongside heart transplant pioneer Professor Christiaan Barnard when the two were still laboratory researchers,...