Hardly an hour passes anymore without reading a heartbreaking story about the coronavirus. Here's merely the latest: a British doctor who messaged the UK prime minister Boris Johnson about the need for more personal protective equipment for NHS workers has died from coronavirus.
His name was Abdul Mabud Chowdhury. He as a locum urologist who worked at Homerton Hospital in East London. On March 18, as the UK was reversing away from its herd immunity strategy, Dr Chowdhury sent a message on Facebook to Boris Johnson urging the UK government to invest in more PPE. Dr Chowdhury contracted the virus not longer after, fought the disease for 15 days and sadly died yesterday.
He wrote Johnson that medical workers "are in direct contact with patients" and have a "human right like others to live in this world disease-free with our family and children...We have to protect ourselves and our families/kids in this global disaster/crisis by using appropriate PPE and remedies." Johnson himself is fighting the disease in hospital.
The UK's Muslim Doctors Association paid tribute to Dr Chowdhury on facebook saying "We are deeply saddened by the death of Dr Abdul Mabud Chowdhury, Consultant Urologist at Homerton Hospital, after fighting for his life from COVID-19. He leaves behind his wife and two children. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
The mayor of Hackney Phillip Glanville called him a hero.
A hero from @NHSHomerton who has died serving Hackney & fighting this terrible disease. I hope his death wasn't as a result of continuing issues around testing & PPE, but it raises Qs. A sobering reminder of the lives being lost to keep us safe & the contribution BAME staff make. https://t.co/VHSxxQqH8v
— Mayor of Hackney (@mayorofhackney) April 9, 2020
