Temba Dube
Raymond Jaravaza
NUST is in mourning and so is Zimbabwe’s medical fraternity.
The National University of Science and Technology has been left reeling following the death of Professor Bubuya Masola, a towering figure in medical education, who passed away just as the institution was gearing up for a groundbreaking healthcare project.
Professor Masola, 69, was found dead at his flat last Wednesday. He will be laid to rest today at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo.
Speaking at an emotional funeral service held at the Amphitheatre on Tuesday morning, NUST Vice Chancellor Professor Mqhele Dlodlo said the university had lost a vital pillar at a critical time.
“Professor Masola passed away at a time when NUST is in the process of reviving the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Ekusileni Hospital into a top pre and post-natal hospital in the country. NUST is poorer without Professor Masola,” said VC Dlodlo.
Masola, who joined NUST in 2018 as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, played a key role in shaping the Faculty of Medicine.
His legacy in medical education spans decades. From 1985 to 1986, he worked as a Clinical Biochemist at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals before moving to the University of Zimbabwe, where he lectured from 1986 until 2005.
Though he officially retired in 2020, Masola continued to serve NUST on post-retirement contracts until his death, a sign of his unwavering dedication to the field.
As the nation prepares to bury a medical titan, one thing is clear: NUST and the future of medical science in Zimbabwe will never be the same.
Online Reporter