doctor
28 November 2007
Eastern Cape Department of Health MEC, Mrs N Jajula, has sent her deepest
condolences to the family of Professor Charles Christopher Patrick McConnachie,
who passed away on Tuesday, 27 November 2007, at the age of 70.
Professor McConnachie was acting medical superintendent at Bedford
Orthopaedic Hospital, in Mthatha Hospital Complex, where among other things he
was paying volunteers' stipends from his own pocket and facilitated the
donation for the construction of the Official Publications Depository (OPD),
Theatre, High Care Unit and X-Ray department at Bedford.
In her words, the honourable MEC Mrs N Jajula said, "Prof McConnachie
devoted his life to the people of the Eastern Cape. He was a true embodiment of
the principles of ubuntu and Batho Pele reflected in his spending of his own
money to contributing towards the betterment of health services in the province
of the Eastern Cape. He made people who could not walk, walk, giving them hope.
His decision to settle here in Mthatha was based on his pledge to help cure
people and a desire to make a difference in people's lives especially those
living in rural areas. The province has lost a great man and we pray for his
family and pledge our support to them, may his soul rest in peace", she
concluded.
Professor McConnachie was born in 1937 in Scotland. After a brief stint in
United States of America, he came to South Africa in the early 80s until his
death. He worked in the Transkei region for more than 22 years, during which he
made an enormous contribution to the improvement of healthcare services in the
region.
Among many things that Professor McConnachie had done to Bedford Orthopaedic
Hospital are:
* donated money for construction of water reservoir
* donated money for construction of administration building and doctor's
quarters named McConnachie Lane
* established a school for children inpatients
* bought a minibus for transporting nurses working awkward hours.
For his undying spirit to improve lives of the poor people of the Eastern
Cape, Prof McConnachie and his wife Jennifer, became Africa's only recipients
of the prestigious Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth last
year.
In accordance to his wishes, Prof McConnachie, who once vowed to work in the
Eastern Cape as long as physically able to, will be buried at Bedford
Orthopaedic Hospital graveyard next Wednesday, 5 December 2007. The memorial
service will be held on Tuesday, 4 December 2007 at the Mthatha Health Resource
Centre.
He leaves behind his seven children and wife Jennifer, who herself is
running a healthcare clinic at Tipini informal settlement in Mthatha.
Enquiries:
Luxolo Tyali
Public Relations Officer
Tel: 047 502 4520
Cell: 073 555 9292
Issued by: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
28 November 2007
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecpg.gov.za)
