He was a professor of medicine and past chair of the UZ
Medical School. As reports of his death filtered yesterday, there was
outpouring of grief as the medical fraternity paid tribute to Dr Hakim.
Mr Samkange, veteran surgeon and director of the UZ
Institute of Continuing Health Education (ICHE) described Dr Hakim’s death as a
huge blow to the country.
“Today we lost Professor James Gita Hakim. Professor Hakim
was an exceptional Physician. He was an exceptional medical doctor, fantastic
diagnostician and easily caring for his patients deeply but never hesitating to
ask if we could not do better. He was a committed teacher, never thinking that
one could do too much for the students; a mentor whose commitment to the
development of the trainees will take some passing. He was a natural
researcher: unique in that he wanted every colleague to reach their full
potential.
He wrote so many papers, was respected and cherished in the
region, the continent and the world over. He founded organisations and
institutions that developed Medicine, our country and our continent. Though he
had to leave his native Sudan at a young age, he never forgot it in his works
AND he did a lot more for Zimbabwe than some of us. He will be remembered as a
giant, so humble, so towering and yet so down to earth and shattering relevant.
He has left a void thst will be so difficult to feel. Our
heartfelt gratitude to his family for sharing him with us; we pray that they
are comforted in this very arduous time.”
Said Dr Norman Matara: “We have lost a great professor of
medicine, a teacher, researcher, and above all a humble and good person.
“This is a huge loss for the nation. Go well professor,
your contribution to science and medicine will forever be invaluable – broken
heart.”
Dr Hakim studied medicine at the University of Makerere in
Uganda and specialised in internal medicine in Kenya, UK, Germany, Australia
and South Africa.
He was an active clinician with interest in HIV Aids
preventative and therapeutic research including co- infections. Dr Hakim held a
number of positions and portflios in various local, regional and international
bodies.
In 2019, he received the Ward Cates Spirit award in the US
for his outstanding commitment and leadership to health, scientific eexcellence
and generosity in mentorship and support.
He was formerly head of the UZ College of Health Sciences
and director of the UZ Clinical Research Centre. He trained a number of the
country’s prominent medical experts.
Zimbabwe has over the past few weeks lost a number of
frontline healthcare workers to the raging Covid 19 pandemic. Herald
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