Another UK Pakistani doctor loses life to Covid-19

LONDON: A Pakistani doctor, who managed a COVID-19 ward at East London’s Newham hospital, has lost his life to the viral disease.

Dr Abdul Fowad Choudhury had been working at the ward just a week before he passed away and had been in a healthy condition. His family confirmed that he developed coronavirus symptoms and became seriously ill all of a sudden.

He is survived by his wife and four children, Nazish, Hasaan, Aleena and Zayna. Born in Hyderabad, Pakistan in 1957, Dr Abdul Fowad Choudhury was the third of four brothers. He studied medicine at Liaquat Medical College, then got married in 1987 and moved to the UK.

He worked hard over the years to make his way up to become a respected consultant, managing a psychiatric ward in a London hospital where he inspired many young junior psychiatric doctors. He was a wonderful man, loved and cherished by all he touched over his lifetime, according to his colleagues, who shared beautiful memories of the devoted doctor.

According to his family, Dr Choudhury was a man of few words but when he spoke - whether it was politics, religion or the weather - people listened and he was highly respected by everyone who knew him.

Dr Choudhary's son Hasaan told this correspondent: "Watching National Geographic nature programmes was his favourite pastime. He travelled whenever he got the chance - visiting most of Europe, Turkey, Morocco, and Egypt. Next on his list were the Northern Lights in Iceland and he often talked about walking the Great Wall of China. "He loved heated discussions and would often pat others on the back saying 'bhaijaan' while talking with a big smile. He loved to tease and joke with friends and family.”

Hasaan said about his loving father: "He was not only a wonderful father to his children but a beloved father figure to his nieces and nephews too. He was a devout Muslim, had performed Umrah many times and Haj as well. He never missed a namaz, would make Juma without fail and never skipped a fast (Roza). He had the biggest heart and was known for his generosity, not only with money but with his time and efforts too.”

According to Dr Choudary's family, being a doctor was his pride and helping others was natural to him and his instincts were always to solve others' problems before they even expressed them.

Some of the known Pakistani doctors, who lost life to COVID-19 virus so far are: 50-year-old plastic surgeon Dr Furqan Ali Siddiqui; consultant doctor Nasir Khan; Mamoona Rana; Khalid Jamil; Dr Syed Zishan Haider; NHS nurse Areema Nasreen; and Dr Habib Zaidi.

More than 210 healthcare workers have died due to COVID-19 in Britain. More than six in 10 of the victims were from the ethnic minority backgrounds. Nearly 127 of the dead – or 61 percent of the total - were from an ethnic minority background.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies has said the death rate among British Pakistanis and British Black Africans is 2.5 times that of the white population due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.