When Prof Lungile Pepeta died at Life St George’s Hospital on Friday, the collective hearts of his city and his province broke. Nurses were crying. Shocked doctors, battle-weary from three months in the Covid-19 trenches, shared the sad news with one another in hushed tones. As reports of his death spread around town, and from Port Elizabeth to his hometown in Bizana, there were tears and anger, but above all, shock and despair.Covid-19 has dealt the Eastern Cape a devastating blow.
In 2012, when severe staff shortages in Nelson Mandela Bay threatened the collapse of the public health system in the metro, Pepeta, along with veteran cardiologist Dr Basil Brown and surgeon Dr Sats Pillay, took the department on in a press conference organised in contravention of departmental regulations. They were threatened with disciplinary charges and dismissal. Pointing at his warning letter, Pepeta laughed his trademark laugh: “Let them try,” he said.
Dr Samkelo Jiyana trained under Pepeta as a paediatric cardiologist: “I met Prof Pepeta when I was a paediatric registrar and he was the head of paediatrics at Dora Nginza Hospital. “We became a family and you would not be surprised to find us discussing the finer details of a child’s heart images in the wee hours of the morning. No one and nothing could come between us. Dr Luzuko Bobotyana, who now waits in the wings as a paediatric cardiology fellow, can attest to this.
“He had a fierce love for his family and he carried his friends through difficult times. His tenacity had no equal. He meant so much for all of us. It will take a very long time to accept that we have lost him,” said Greyling. Dr Johani Vermeulen moved from Pretoria to Nelson Mandela Bay to start a paediatric oncology unit after she was convinced to do so by Pepeta.
The head of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at Dora Nginza Hospital, Dr Mfundo Mabenge, said Pepeta was a great man and had been a great friend. Pepeta took up the job as the executive dean of health sciences at Nelson Mandela University in January 2017, with the first order of business being to set up the country’s newest medical school. He left behind a newly established paediatric oncology unit and a paediatric surgical unit, and shortly after his departure, Dr Pinky Zozi opened a paediatric high care unit at the hospital.
This was a call that another registrar trained by him, Dr Zongezile Masonwabe Makrexeni, heeded and together the pair produced a number of journal articles.“God gave us Prof Bongani Mayosi and he gave us Prof Lungile Pepeta. And he took both of them from us.”
Education Education Latest News, Education Education Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Condolences for family of renowned paediatric cardiologist who died from Covid-19Higher education, science and innovation minister Blade Nzimande has sent condolences to the family of seasoned doctor and academic Prof Lungile Pepeta who died due to Covid-19 related complications at a hospital in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »
Condolences for family of renowned paediatric cardiologist who died from Covid-19Higher education, science and innovation minister Blade Nzimande has sent condolences to the family of seasoned doctor and academic Prof Lungile Pepeta who died due to Covid-19 related complications at a hospital in Port Elizabeth on Friday.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »