Al-Qalam 
Durban paediatrician, Dr Ahmed Ismail Manjra, says Professor Allie Moosa’s work improved the standard of care for children across KZN and beyond”.
Just two months after the passing of his beloved wife, Aunty Maymoona, Professor Allie Moosa – an internationally recognised specialist in paediatrics – returned to the Mercy of Allah (SWT).
Durban paediatrician, Dr Ahmed Ismail Manjra, who studied under Professor Moosa, paid a moving tribute to his mentor. “For me, he was more than a professor—he was my mentor in paediatrics, both during my undergraduate and postgraduate training. They say that in every doctor’s life, one person comes along who transforms medicine from a science into something sacred. For me, that person was Professor Moosa.
“To the world, he was a giant in paediatrics — a brilliant academic whose research shaped treatment protocols, whose papers filled journals, and whose name commanded respect in lecture halls around the globe. But to those of us fortunate enough to learn at his feet, he was simply “The Professor”— our mentor.
Dr Manjra said: “As an academic, his mind burned with relentless curiosity. He demanded excellence, not out of harshness, but because he believed every child deserved the highest standard of care. He taught me that a good doctor follows the textbook, but a great doctor writes one — and knows when to set it aside and simply listen. Under his guidance, every journal club became a battlefield of ideas, and every ward round a masterclass in precision.”
Dr Manjra told Al Qalam that Professor Moosa was one of those rare individuals who could carry the weight of a dying child’s life in his hands, while still making space to support the insecurities of his students.
“Professor Moosa, you gave me the tools to heal small bodies. More importantly, you taught me how to hold small hands. You showed me that being a paediatrician is not just a profession—it is a vow to protect the most vulnerable part of every human story”.
Early Life
Professor Moosa was born in Cape Town on 23 November 1939 and grew up in modest circumstances in District Six. A brilliant student, he earned a place at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Medical School — an exceptional achievement for a person of colour at the time. He consistently ranked at the top of his class.
He later specialised in paediatrics in the United Kingdom, obtaining his MD (with Commendation) from the University of Sheffield, followed by MRCP, FRCP, and FRCPCH in subsequent years.
He became one of the few paediatricians of colour in South Africa.
He went on to specialise further in paediatric neurology at Hammersmith Hospital in London, where he conducted research into neuromuscular disorders in children. He contributed to pioneering work on the “Dubowitz Score” (named after his supervisor), which remains in use today to assess the gestational age of newborns. He also published numerous seminal papers on muscular dystrophy and related conditions, receiving multiple awards for his outstanding research.
In 1976, he returned to South Africa and was appointed Senior Lecturer in the Department of Paediatrics at UCT and Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
In 1978, he became Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics at the then University of Natal (now UKZN). There, he established a neurology clinic with a strong focus on neuromuscular disorders and trained a generation of paediatricians.
He later moved to Kuwait, where he joined Kuwait University and Adan Hospital, helping to establish the paediatric department while continuing his teaching and research.
Over the course of his career, he published more than 100 papers in international peer-reviewed journals, contributed chapters to numerous books, and delivered invited lectures at leading universities worldwide
Dr Manjra said he first met him in 1980, when he was a third-year medical student.
“I attempted to introduce him to programmes run by the Muslim Youth Movement (MYM) —but instead, he recruited me into a career in paediatrics. We exchanged Islamic literature, and he later became an active participant in MYM programmes, attending with remarkable humility.”
He said Professor Moosa was also deeply involved in the early years of the Islamic Medical Association (IMA). Despite facing opposition from some colleagues, he remained steadfast and played a leading role in building the organisation into what it is today.
“As my mentor, he was instrumental in motivating me to publish my first paper in the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ) in 1989. He also supervised my first research project on megaloblastic anaemia at King Edward VIII Hospital, which I presented at a local paediatric congress in 1990.
Professor Moosa is remembered as a pillar of paediatric medicine globally. His work in neurology and neuromuscular disease significantly advanced the management of complex childhood conditions. Through his teaching and mentorship, he improved the standard of care for children across KwaZulu-Natal and beyond”.
Dr Manjra added: “I will not say goodbye, because a mentor never truly leaves. He lives on, in the way I examine a child’s eyes, in the patience I try to show a tired mother, and in every act of compassion I bring to my work.
He is survived by his children—Shiraz and Irshad (both doctors), and Tasnim —as well as his grandchildren.
