Pakistan-origin Doctor Gives Ultimate Sacrifice
The United Kingdom is paying tribute to Dr Habib Zaidi and three other Muslim doctors who died after contracting the coronavirus while being on the frontlines to tackle the pandemic.
The four men, including Alfa Sa’adu of Nigerian ancestry and Amjed el-Hawrani and Adil El Tayar of Sudanese origin, were Muslim.
Dr Zaidi, 76, died in intensive care at a hospital in Essex, 24 hours after being taken ill on March 24, reported British media . He showed ‘textbook symptoms’ of COVID-19.
A general practitioner (GP) in Essex for more than 45 years, he moved to the UK from Pakistan almost 50 years ago and was a managing partner with his wife at the Eastwood Medical Practice in the town of Leigh-on-Sea. Their four children also work in the medical profession.
His daughter, Dr Sarah Zaidi said his death was “reflective of his sacrifice” and he had a “vocational attitude to service”.
Dr Jose Garcia-Lobera, who worked with the late doctor, told the BBC that Dr Zaidi had left behind an incredible legacy.“[He] was a ‘hugely respected, selfless man’ who dedicated his life to helping others.
“Dr Zaidi will always be remembered for his significant contribution to local health services through his long career as a GP,” he added.
Christine Playle, 73, one of Zaidi’s former patients on whom he performed minor surgery less than three weeks before his death, told Al Jazeera she was “shocked and saddened”.
“Dr Zaidi was a very well-liked and respected doctor and was the embodiment of what everyone looks for in their GP – kind, caring, friendly and jolly,” she said. “He was a dedicated GP, and that dedication cost him his life.”
Fallen heroes: Two of the four doctors who sacrificed their lives to battle the virus were from Sudan.
Amjed el-Hawrani was an ear, nose, and throat consultant at university hospitals in the north of England. Despite having no underlying health issues, el-Hawrani died in hospital on Saturday aged 55.
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