Ugandan doctor and wife die of COVID-19 within week of each other
Dr. Gelasius Mukasa, a pediatrician, has succumbed to COVID-19 a week after his wife's passing.
According to Dr. Sabrına Kitaka, Dr. Mukasa had been admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the time of his passing.
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Dr. Kitaka eulogised the deceased as, "a wonderful pediatrician, with such a great love for neonate."
"Dr. Mukasa was our Head of Department, a duty he held with so much poise and grace. He never once raised his voice to his subordinates. He was respected by all of us," Dr. Kitaka said in an obituary.
The death of Dr. Mukasa comes just a week after the death of his wife who, according to Dr. Kitaka, passed away while in ICU.
"Dr. Mukasa was admitted and was not able to bury his beloved wife, today we heard of the shocking news about his passing. Our heartfelt condolences to his dear children, family and members of the Paediatrics family," Dr. Kitaka noted.
At the time of his death, Dr. Mukasa was 78 years old.
The Daily Monitor reports that Dr Mukasa passed away at Platinum Hospital. The information was provided by one of his children, renown anti-corruption activist Cissy Kagaba.
Uganda has now lost at least three senior doctors in a space of two weeks due to COVID-19.
At the end of 2020, Dr. Charles Kiggundu and Dr. Fred Kigozi succumbed to COVID-19, in a space of of 12 hours within each other.
Former students and colleagues paid glowing tribute to Dr Charles Kiggundu
Tributes to Dr Kiggundu life of service
Remembering Dr Charles Kiggundu
Dr. Richard Idro, president of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) said last week that the medical profession was under threat following increased positive virus cases among medics.
"Yes, there is a real concern about the coming days. We need to urgently come up with measures of how to protect our senior doctors. We can use them sparingly on-call duties," Dr. Idro said.
In fact, Dr Kiggundu is thought to have lost his life in part because his longtime workplace of Mulago hospital could not immediately secure him a bed in ICU.
Describing Dr Kiggundu's last moments
According to the Ministry of Health, Uganda has so far recorded 36,050 positive Coronavirus cases and 274 virus related death.
According to Dr Richard Idro by 8th Dec, 2020, 1,800 health workers had tested positive for COVID-19, and 14 had died.
