Doctor who wrote to PM for ‘minimal support’ of PPE for NHS workers dies of Covid-19

A doctor has died of Covid-19, three weeks after he appealed the prime minister for the “minimal support” of proper PPE for frontline workers.

Dr Abdul Mabud Chowdhury, 53, who was a urologist at Homerton Hospital in East London, passed away on Wednesday (8), after battling for life for 15 days at Queen’s Hospital in Romford.

Last month, he had written on Facebook: “Dear and respectable prime minister Mr Boris Johnson, Please ensure urgently PPE for each and every NHS health worker.”

He has stressed that the health workers “in direct contact with patients” were “also human beings to practice human rights like others, to live in this world disease free with our family and children”.

“People appreciate us and salute us for our rewarding job which are very inspirational but I would like to say, we have to protect ourselves and our families/kids in this global disaster/crisis by using appropriate PPE and remedies.

“I hope we are by default entitled to get this minimal support for our safe medical practice,” he had written.

In a grim reminder of the increasing number of NHS personnel succumbing to Covid-19, British journalist Sunny Hundal termed him “another NHS hero” in a tweet.

In a tribute, the Muslim Doctors Association said: “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.

Three weeks before his death he wrote a message to the Prime Minister urging for better PPE.

May he rest in peace.”