Dr Hakim did medicine at the University of Makerere in Uganda and specialized in internal medicine at the University of Nairobi, Kenya and the Royal Colleges of Physicians, UK; with further specializations in Aachen, Germany; Newcastle, Australia and the University of Cape Town. Dr Hakim was an active clinician with interest in HIV/AIDS preventive and therapeutic research including co-infections.

He is survived by his wife and 4 sons.