Former MS Malir Hospital dies of COVID-19 in Karachi

KARACHI: Former Medical Superintendent of the Malir Hospital Dr Nawaz Gahoti died from coronavirus in Karachi.

According to media reports, Dr Nawaz Gahoti tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago and was admitted to a private hospital in Karachi where he was receiving treatment. He was also suffering from serious heart issues.

On Sunday evening, another doctor passed away due to the coronavirus in Karachi, a few days after being diagnosed with the deadly disease. Dr Furqan-ul-Haq was a retired practitioner at the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, while his wife has also contracted the disease.

Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) had alleged he died due to a shortage of ventilators as he could not find the facility despite visiting several hospitals in the city. The claim was refuted by the Sindh government who formed a special committee to probe the death.

The committee concluded in its report that misjudgment on part of the medical officer at Civil Hospital was the cause of his death. He was the third member of the medical fraternity in Karachi to have died from coronavirus.

On Wednesday, an attendant at the outpatient department (OPD) of a charity-run hospital in Karachi died of coronavirus. Noman Ahmed worked as an attendant at Al-Khidmat Hospital in Orangi Town. He was diagnosed with the virus and admitted to an isolation ward at the Civil Hospital where he remained under treatment for 10 days.

He was put on a ventilator and his health subsequently improved and he returned home after being discharged. However, his condition deteriorated again a few days ago resulting in his death.

The coronavirus has affected doctors and health practitioners working on the frontline against the disease. Doctors have complained about not being provided with personal protective equipment, making them vulnerable to the virus.

The National Emergency Operation Centre has revealed that a total of 444 healthcare workers in the country had been infected with the coronavirus and eight had died. The number had increased by 75 percent over the previous week, the data showed.