News / National
'Mugabe doctor's death a great loss'
13 Aug 2019 at 20:10hrs | Views
The late senior medical consultant, Dr Kumbirai Mumbwandarikwa who died on the 11th of this month at his Borrowdale home after battling cancer has been described as one of the best medical practitioners to come out of this country.
Dr Mubwandarikwa treated prominent liberation fighters including former President Robert Mugabe in colonial jails.
Friends, Relatives, colleagues and senior medical professionals gathered at Dutch Reformed Church in Harare for a service in honour of the late Dr Mumbwandarikwa.
Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo described the death of Dr Mumbwandarikwa as a great loss to the medical fraternity saying he saved millions of lives.
"Dr Mumbwandarikwa was a great doctor. He served millions of lives. He was a free man to approach," said Minister Moyo.
It was a touching moment when the widow of the late Dr Mumbwandarikwa showed courage and strength to chronicle how her late husband fought for the inclusion of women in leadership positions.
"We have lost a great man in the family. He was a great man. The void he left will be difficult to fill," said Mrs Ndakarwirwa Mumbwandarikwa.
Mubwandarikwa, who was born in Zvavahera village in Gutu, attended Zvavahera Primary School from 1950 to 1957, Zimuto Secondary School from 1958 to 1959, Inyathi Secondary School from 1960 to 1962 and Goromonzi Secondary School from 1962 to 1963.
In 1964, he was accepted by the University of Rhodesia and Nyasaland to study medicine and Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBchB) in 1969.
According to Joram, after graduating, he worked at Harare Central Hospital and then Kwekwe Hospital.
In racially segregated Rhodesia, whites often refused to be treated by black doctors, but upon seeing Mubwandarikwa conduct his work, many white Rhodesians became colour blind and sought treatment from him.
Mubwandarikwa also furthered his studies in the United Kingdom and then returned to Zimbabwe shortly after independence, where he worked for the government until he retired in 2006.
He continued working at his private practice until March 2019 when he stopped due to ill health.
He also worked as a lecturer and medical examiner at the University of Zimbabwe's Department of Medicine.
Dr Mumbwandarikwa who is survived by wife Reverend Ndakarwirwa Mumbwandarikwa, four children and seven grandchildren will be buried this Wednesday (tomorrow) at Kunda farm in Chivhu.
Dr Mubwandarikwa treated prominent liberation fighters including former President Robert Mugabe in colonial jails.
Friends, Relatives, colleagues and senior medical professionals gathered at Dutch Reformed Church in Harare for a service in honour of the late Dr Mumbwandarikwa.
Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo described the death of Dr Mumbwandarikwa as a great loss to the medical fraternity saying he saved millions of lives.
"Dr Mumbwandarikwa was a great doctor. He served millions of lives. He was a free man to approach," said Minister Moyo.
It was a touching moment when the widow of the late Dr Mumbwandarikwa showed courage and strength to chronicle how her late husband fought for the inclusion of women in leadership positions.
"We have lost a great man in the family. He was a great man. The void he left will be difficult to fill," said Mrs Ndakarwirwa Mumbwandarikwa.
In 1964, he was accepted by the University of Rhodesia and Nyasaland to study medicine and Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBchB) in 1969.
According to Joram, after graduating, he worked at Harare Central Hospital and then Kwekwe Hospital.
In racially segregated Rhodesia, whites often refused to be treated by black doctors, but upon seeing Mubwandarikwa conduct his work, many white Rhodesians became colour blind and sought treatment from him.
Mubwandarikwa also furthered his studies in the United Kingdom and then returned to Zimbabwe shortly after independence, where he worked for the government until he retired in 2006.
He continued working at his private practice until March 2019 when he stopped due to ill health.
He also worked as a lecturer and medical examiner at the University of Zimbabwe's Department of Medicine.
Dr Mumbwandarikwa who is survived by wife Reverend Ndakarwirwa Mumbwandarikwa, four children and seven grandchildren will be buried this Wednesday (tomorrow) at Kunda farm in Chivhu.
Source - zbc-newsday
