KARACHI: Another physician died of Covid-19 on Sunday, taking the tally of doctors falling victim to coronavirus since last year to 69 in Sindh.

This is the second death of a doctor within three days in Karachi.

Dr Firoz Ahmed Qasmi, a senior anaesthetist, was associated with Dow University of Health Sciences for eight years.

“He remained in the hospital’s intensive care unit for five days after being diagnosed with coronavirus on the first day of Eid,” said a spokesperson for the DUHS.

During treatment, Dr Firoz also developed a rare inflammatory disease of the brain, he added.

Earlier, Dr Iqbal Noori associated with a private hospital died of Covid-19 on Friday after remaining hospitalised for over a week.

A Dow Medical College graduate, Dr Noori was 54.

According to the Pakistan Medical Association data, 238 doctors have so far died of coronavirus in the country, including 30 paramedics. Of them, 69 doctors were based in Sindh.

The association has appealed to all healthcare providers to strictly follow all Covid-19 related standard operating procedures (SOPs) while examining their patients.

According to the Sindh government data recently presented during the Task Force meeting, 85 per cent of Covid-19 cases now comprise unvaccinated patients and 15 per cent vaccinated patients.

“This explains why it’s important to get vaccinated against the infection. With the lethal Indian variant fast spreading in the country particularly Karachi, the need for vaccination is all the more important,” said Dr Qaiser Sajjad of PMA.

Vaccinated individuals, he pointed out, might still get the infection but with less severe symptoms and greater chances of recovery. “The focus must be on increasing vaccination status and ensuring that people strictly follow SOPs,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2021