Another doctor succumbs to coronavirus in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Peshawar Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) Director Dr Shahzad Akbar has confirmed that another doctor passed away on Sunday due to the COVID-19.

His death has raised Pakistan’s death toll of medics who died of the infection to 18. According to the  HMC Director, Dr Aurangzeb, a senior pathologist at Police Services Hospital, Peshawar, was on the ventilator for the last four days and passed away today.

Hospital officials have confirmed Dr Aurangzeb was also diabetic. The provincial doctors’ association said with Dr Aurangzeb ‘s death today, the total number of doctors who have succumbed to the COVID-19 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has risen to four.

Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan expressed grief over the demise of Dr Aurangzeb, adding that doctors were “busy saving others’ lives by putting their own lives in danger”.

“The services of doctors in treating COVID-19 patients are commendable,” Khan said. “Every possible help will be given to the families of the doctors who died of COVID-19.”

Doctors have repeatedly warned the government that the country’s healthcare system will collapse if a severe lockdown is not imposed to limit the spread of the COVID-19.

Doctors throughout the country have complained that the medical community was not being given with personal protective gear, making them vulnerable to the COVID-19.