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Dr. Aldis injured, wife dies in South Africa

By Rose Hooper
Aldis Aldis Dr. William Aldis remains in serious condition, and his wife, Rani, is dead following an automobile accident in South Africa, according to Mark Leonard, CEO of WestCare Health System.

As of press time Leonard said details remained sketchy, but he understood that Aldis and his wife were the only two occupants in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Aldis was being treated Wednesday in Mill Park Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was airlifted there from the trauma intensive care unit of Lilongwe Hospital in Malawi and is expected to undergo orthopaedic surgery to reconstruct the ligaments in his right knee.

Aldis had apparently suffered respiratory sepsis and was "touch and go" until stabilizing Sunday morning, said Leonard, who also reported that Aldis is expected to remain hospitalized for at least three to four weeks.

Aldis, who practiced at Sylva Medical Center for 17 years, left his practice here 10 years ago to join the World Health Organization, the Geneva-based global medical agency affiliated with the United Nations.

Aldis was recognized in 2000 for "outstanding personal contribution and exceptional service to the World Health Organization" during the opening ceremony of the 50th WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The award was presented by Dr. Ehrahim Sambo, WHO regional director for Africa, and acknowledged his role in maintaining the programs of UN agencies during a crisis four months prior.

At the time of the accident, Dr. Aldis had been working in Malawi, a nation dealing with famine and an outbreak of bubonic plague located east of Zambia and north of Mozambique.

His wife, a registered nurse, had worked at Harris Regional Hospital and at Mountain Trace Nursing Center when the couple lived here.

In addition to her husband, Rani Aldis is survived by one daughter, Vimala, and two sons, Rajendra and Ravi.

Back to Archive: 04/24/03.