The Eastern Cape Department of Health and the South African society have lost one of its valuable members in the name of Dr LM Msauli. His passion for the provision of health care to the disadvantaged people of the Eastern Cape and his struggle for justice were unrivalled even amongst his peers.
He was a trendsetter in the medical profession, a mentor to upcoming doctors and the young, a beacon of hope to those who sought medical help. His thirst for knowledge knew no boundaries which exemplified his strive for excellence.
The current government tapped into Dr Msuali’s knowledge and expertise and he willingly served as a member of the MEC for Health’s task team and as a member of the South African National Civics Organisation Health Desk in the border region.
His commitment to the preservation of life made him to convene the provincial task team on the tradition of circumcision culminating in the promulgation of Maintenance of the Health Standards in Traditional Circumcision Act in October 2005 by the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature. His fight against the ravaging HIV and AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB) is well documented in this province.
In 2007 he transferred from Mthatha Hospital Complex to the East London Hospital Complex where he started the family medicine department and became its Head of Department (HOD) and hence earned the East London Hospital Complex (CMH) family medicine department recognition by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) for the training of intern doctors. That he did with little and sometimes no resources for such a huge task. Dr Msauli was not only a head of department, supervisor and manager to the intern doctors; he was equally a father figure and mentor. As part of the clinical heads of departments he immersed himself in East London Hospital Complex (ELHC) management efforts of ensuring greater involvement of Clinicians (HoDs Doctors) in the planning and management of their divisions.
He sat on numerous boards as a chairperson and was instrumental in the establishment of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and projects that were developmental in nature. When the Cecilia Makhiwane Hospital was struggling to attract persons to serve in its hospital board ‘Bra-Dubs’ used his community networks to the benefit of the hospital and to date the hospital can pride itself for having not less than nine nominations to the board that he assisted in canvassing. During the tensions about the status of a future CMH 'Bra-Dubs' engaged all parties and sought their coming together in the interest of patient care.
To him, health was not only a health professional and their patient business, but a societal matter. His role in recruitment of young people into medicine is unsurpassed, the generation of medical school student doctors of the border area in the 1970s and early 1980s bear's testimony to this community health worker’s role. Such work and commitment to justice made him a worthwhile adversary of the apartheid regime as he was detained by the erstwhile unjust illegal government.
Such a soul deservedly is resting in peace. May his contribution water the trees of commitment and service as a shining example that must be followed by all those who hold the people's health for people’s power dear, he leaves the department when it is in a need of his critical skills and guidance.
Phumla ngoxolo Jwarha, Mtika!
Issued by: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
25 November 2009
Source: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
(http://www.ecdoh.gov.za/)
