John Baptist Mukasa

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John Baptist Mukasa
Born(1967-01-01)January 1, 1967
DiedJune 29, 2021(2021-06-29) (aged 54)
NationalityUgandan
CitizenshipUganda
Education Lugansk State Medical University
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
OccupationNeurosurgeon
Years active2007 — 2021
Title Consultant Neurosurgeon at Mulago National Referral Hospital

John Baptist Nsubuga Mukasa (January 1967 - June 2021), was a Ugandan neurosurgeon, who served as a Consultant Neurosurgeon at Mulago National Referral Hospital. He concurrently served as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Neurosurgery at Makerere University School of Medicine. He died in Kampala, from complications of COVID-19 infection on 29 June 2021. [1]

Contents

Background and education

He was born c.1967 in the Central Region of Uganda. After attending local primary and secondary schools, he was awarded a scholarship to study human medicine at Luhansk State Medical University, in the Ukraine, graduating with a medical degree from there. Later, he went to the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China, where he specialized as a neurosurgeon. His areas of sub-specialization included (a) neurotrauma (brain and spinal cord) (b) pediatric neurosurgery and (c) spinal cord surgery. [2] [3]

Career

At the time of his death, John Baptist Mukasa was one of only 13 neurosurgeons in Uganda, whose national population was estimated at 47 million then. [2] He is remembered fondly by his colleagues, co-workers, neurosurgeons, residents, medical students that he taught and mentored and the many patient he operated on and/or went out of his way to assist. These include Juliet Sekabunga Nalwanga, Uganda's first female neurosurgeon who was trained by Mukasa. [2] [3] Dr Mukasa also had operating privileges at UMC Victoria Hospital in Bukoto, in the northern part of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. [2]

Personal

Dr Mukasa is survived by a widow and two sons. [2]

See also

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References

  1. Chris Kiwawulo (29 June 2021). "Senior neurosurgeon Dr. Mukasa succumbs to COVID-19". Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Saeed Kamali Dehghan (9 August 2021). ""A great blow to Uganda": Surgeon John Baptist Mukasa dies of Covid". The Guardian . London, United Kingdom. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  3. 1 2 Adela Wu (17 July 2022). "Pandemic Loss: Pioneering Ugandan Neurosurgeon Was A 'Servant Of The People'". National Public Radio . Washington, D.C., United States. Retrieved 22 October 2022.