THE country's renowned Cardiothoracic Surgeon Professor, William Mahalu (79), who passed away on Sunday in Dar es Salaam, will be laid to rest on Friday.
On Monday Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) Executive Director, Dr Peter Kisenge announced the death of Prof Mahalu, noting that he breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the institute on midnight of Sunday.
Dr Kisenge said Prof Mahalu is among the early cardiologists in the history of the country. The late Mahalu also spearheaded the establishment of JKCI that has been offering heart diseases treatment to local and foreign patients.
He said the ideas for starting the cardiac institute in the country started during the first phase under President Julius Nyerere, when the government took blueprint initiatives of taking two local experts abroad for cardiology studies.
Dr Kisenge named the two experts as the late Prof Mahalu and his colleague, the late Prof Idrissa Mtulia. The list rose to three specialists later on with the coming of Prof William Makene, who was a president's doctor.
He said the efforts for establishing a cardiac institute continued and upon reaching 2005/2006 under the fourth phase government a group of 26 cardiologists from Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) were taken to India for further studies on heart diseases and upon their return they smoothed the establishment of the JKCI in 2015.
Until his death, the late Prof Mahalu served as JKCI Board of Trustee's Chairman.
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Prof Costa Mahalu, the deceased's sibling told the 'Daily News', on Tuesday that the deceased will be laid to rest at Kinondoni Cemetery in Dar es Salaam.
He eulogised his brother as his role model who impacted his academic and life journey.
"During his childhood, my brother demonstrated ambitions of becoming a doctor and he did very well in science subjects," Prof Mahalu noted, saying that apart from serving in different hospitals and institutions as the doctor his late brother also was amongst citizens who were awarded doctorate at a young age.
"He was amongst the young serving doctors who were promoted in various hospitals starting as Nachingwea District Medical Officer, Songea Regional Medical Officer, Dodoma Regional Medical Officer and later on he continued with studies in the United Kingdom (UK)," Prof Mahalu said.
"He was committed to his profession and liked to spend much time with his patients," he added.
The late Prof Mahalu is survived by a widow and four children -- three daughters and a son.
