Sunday Nation Columnist Yusuf Dawood Dies Aged 94

The news of his passing was broken by his son...

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Jan 30, 2023 - 08:09
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Sunday Nation Columnist Yusuf Dawood Dies Aged 94
Dr. Yusuf Kodwavwala Dawood during a thanksgiving dinner held at Muthaiga Country Club on February 23, 2017. /DAILY NATION

Renowned surgeon and popular columnist Dr Yusuf Kodwavwalla aka Dr Yusuf Dawood died on Sunday, January 29 at the age of 94.

Dawood was renowned for the Sunday Nation column The Surgeon's Diary which he ran for nearly 40 years.

The news of his passing was broken by his son, Jaan Yusuf Kodwavwalla.

The late Dr Yusuf Dawood. /TWITTER

"My dad slipped away from us in the early hours of this morning. May his soul rest in peace and may the gods look after him," Jaan revealed.

Dawood passed away in the United Kingdom where he relocated to at the age of 90 in what he described as ‘need to be taken care of by his children.’

He was also a successful medical doctor having worked at Aga Khan Hospital from 1961.

For 38 years, he captivated audiences with his insightful writing, offering a unique perspective on medicine, health and wellness.

Through his writing, he allowed his readers to interact closely with him, offering a ‘medical sermon’ every Sunday that provided valuable insights into the medical world.

He was born in India in 1928 and came to Kenya in 1961 where he launched his career at the Aga Khan hospital. 

He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the executive director of the hospital in 1975.

In addition to his surgical work, Dr Dawood was a committed member of the Rotary, serving as the president of all Rotary clubs in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

In his column, he covered whom he referred to as his four wives; surgery, Rotary, writing and Marie Dawood, a witty response that nearly landed him in trouble with Marie as he later explained in another interview.

Nonetheless, Dr Dawood's writing was always filled with humour and insight, making him one of the most popular columnists in Kenya.

He had to stop writing at the age of 90 years after rheumatism made it difficult for him to write.

As a surgeon, Dawood specialized in breast surgery after seeing growing cases of breast cancer in Kenya. True to his passion for surgery, he performed surgeries until he was 86 years old before he retired.

News of his death soon led to an outpouring of condolences on Sunday night in memory of Dr Dawood.

The late Dr Yusuf Dawood during an interview on March 1, 2018, at Karura Gardens. /STANDARD DIGITAL

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