KP Director Public Health Dr Ikramullah tests positive for Covid-19 – Pakistan

Dr. Ikramullah Khan, director of public health for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, tested positive for Covid-19, the province's finance and health minister Taimur Khan Jhagra revealed Monday.

Jhagra said that Dr. Ikramullah "is very excited, feels good and is isolated at home."

The minister paid tribute to Dr. Ikramullah, thanking him for his service and calling him an asset that everyone was proud of. He also praised the efforts of "thousands of other front-line workers" fighting the new coronavirus in the province.

As Jhagra wished for a full recovery for Dr. Ikramullah, he reminded the nation of the sacrifices that front-line doctors were making in the country's fight against the pandemic.

"Dr. Ikram had to take the risk of attending a workplace so that others are safe. Many of us do and accept the risk, especially thousands of front-line workers," Jhagra tweeted.

While the provincial minister acknowledged that the coming months will be challenging on several fronts, he promised to fight and defeat the virus with "determination, discipline" and unity.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's focal point on the Zain Raza coronavirus also wished Dr. Ikramullah "speedy recovery and health," recognizing his role as a leader in the province's coronavirus response team.

Earlier this month, a doctor at Mardan District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) who spoke out against the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers at the center tested positive for Covid-19.

Dozens of infected healthcare providers

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), a representative body of doctors, has said that dozens of health care providers in the country have been infected with the virus, blaming the poor quality of the personal protective equipment being provides them.

At Nishtar Medical Hospital in Multan, up to 28 doctors and paramedics have been confirmed with Covid-19. Similarly, several health care providers have contracted the virus in Karachi. These healthcare providers are reported to have come into contact with infected but asymptomatic patients as they were not wearing the proper PPE.

PMA Representative Dr. Shahid Malik, while speaking with Dawn, revealed that some of the doctors had died while others were infected due to unavailability and poor quality PPE. “Up to 28 healthcare providers have been infected in a Multan hospital alone. We must understand the magnitude of the problem as a large number of healthcare providers have not yet been diagnosed, "he said.

In a statement, the PMA said that health professionals must be protected throughout the country as a priority because they and their families were at risk.

"Many physicians have been found to be positive with the coronavirus; One of the recent examples is that of a professor of otorhinolaryngology at Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, who tested positive for coronavirus and was transferred to the ICU. He is on the fan and fighting for his life. Two of our doctors have so far died while fighting on the front line: Dr. Usama Riaz and Dr. Abdul Qadir Soomro. Unfortunately, no compensation has yet been announced for the wronged families of the deceased doctors, "the statement added.