Top row: Safaa Alam, Dr Yusuf Patel, Dr Tariq Shafi. Bottom row: Dr Medhat Atalla, Dr Mamoona Rana and Dr Nasir Khan.
Nadine Osman
Over 30,000 people across the UK have died with the Coronavirus, including more than 150 NHS staff and other healthcare workers, among them 27 Muslims. The Muslim News has been tracking their deaths during the pandemic. Most were working on the frontline and caring for patients, while some were retired but continued to work.
Names are listed chronologically by date of death. The majority of the health workers are British nationals in brackets is their country of origin.
It is with great sadness we announce that nurse and midwife Safaa Alam has sadly died from COVID-19. Colleagues said Safaa was “an amazing midwife whose skills and expertise helped to bring hundreds of new lives in to the world.” pic.twitter.com/5UWAAwb8hX
— NursingNotes (@NursingNotesUK) May 15, 2020
May 14: Safaa Alam, 30, Risk Management Midwife, Birmingham Women’s & Children’s Hospital (BWCH). Sarah-Jane Marsh, Chief Executive, BWH, said, “Safaa was an amazing midwife whose skills and expertise helped to bring hundreds of new lives in to the world, whilst supporting women on their journey to motherhood. We promise to continue to uphold Safaa’s values and commitment to safe maternity care, wrapped up in the kindness and compassion she exemplified. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband and family as they come to terms with their devastating loss. May you rest in peace Safaa and may God bless you and your loved ones always.”
Tariq Shafi 'put his patients at the heart of everything he did'. He was a lead consultant at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford for 13 years. His colleagues included his wife and his children. Earlier this month he contracted coronavirus and died at the age of 61. @RiaChatter pic.twitter.com/80E5Rwyucr
— ITV London (@itvlondon) May 15, 2020
May 6: Dr Tariq Shafi, 61 (Pakistan), Consultant Haematologist, Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford. Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust said, “Tariq worked at the Trust as our Lead Consultant for Haematology and in his 13 years here, built an amazing team of dedicated clinicians and support workers, placing them and his patients at the heart of everything he did. Tariq will be hugely missed by his patients, his team and all of us here at the Trust. We send our sincere condolences and sympathies to his family at this tragic time.”
Hundreds of people, many his own patients, line the streets and clap for the funeral cortège of Dr Saad Al-Dubbaisi, 59, who died with coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/u6R0FxgoAk
— Patrick Hurst (@paddyhurst) May 5, 2020
May 3: Dr Saad Al-Dubbaisi, 59 (Iraq), GP, Garden City Medical Practice, Bury. Dr Jeff Schryer, Chair of NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group said, “Dr Al-Dubbaisi, was a much loved, compassionate and experienced GP from Garden City Medical Centre. He lived and worked in Bury, and was a popular and caring member of our general practice community. Dr Al-Dubbaisi cared for generations of the same families from his practice in Holcombe Brook for many years; he will be sorely missed by his work family and patients.”
April 30: Dr Furqan Ali Siddiqui, 50, (Pakistan national), Plastic Surgeon, Manchester Royal Infirmary. The Association of Pakistani Physicians & Surgeons of the UK said, “Despite the risk to his health and life, he continued to care for his patients. He leaves behind six young children and a wife. He is another NHS hero who had travelled thousands of miles to work for the NHS and made the ultimate sacrifice.”
April 29: Momudou Dibba (Gambia) Hospital Housekeeper, Watford General Hospital. West Herts NHS Trust said, “He joined the trust in 2013. He turned his hand to other roles by working in the ESAU reception after his shift finished and at weekends. Anyone who knew Mo would know how kind, caring and considerate he was to patients and staff. He would go above and beyond for everyone, organising staff leaving parties and supporting everyone in their roles. He will be sorely missed.”
April 28: Dr Nasir Khan, 46 (Pakistan), Consultant, Dewsbury & District Hospital. His son Mahad Ali Khan said, “My dad was a loving, caring and much-loved father, husband, son, brother and friend. He dedicated his life to his family and profession. He was incredibly strong, and we always turned to him for support, as he was a shining light of guidance. He was compassionate, humble and loyal. He always put his family and friends before himself and was extremely giving. He would always look for the slightest of excuses to help those in need. His hard-working nature and charming personality allowed him to make life even more enjoyable. We strive to achieve the greatness that was my dad and fulfil the dreams he has left behind. Miss you dad! X”
Staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary clap in memory of their colleague Dr Medhat Atalla who worked here, and died here from coronavirus @itvcalendar pic.twitter.com/dqzG6iS4wI
— Katie Oscroft (@katieoscroftitv) April 27, 2020
April 21: Dr Medhat Atalla, 62 (Egypt), Consultant Geriatrician, Doncaster Royal Infirmary. The President of the British Geriatrics Society, Prof Tash Masud said, “We were fortunate to have someone of Dr Atalla’s compassion and commitment providing such expert care for older patients. The lovely tributes paid by his colleagues demonstrate the regard in which he was held. News of his death has been incredibly sad for his colleagues, patients and the geriatric medicine community across the country. During a career spanning many years and different countries, he demonstrated great commitment to improving healthcare for older people and changed countless lives for the better. On behalf of the British Geriatrics Society, I send sincere condolences to his sister, brother and extended family in Egypt, and to all who knew him.”
April 20: Miharajiya Mohideen, Adult Care Nurse, Newham General Hospital, London. Her son Javed wrote on a JustGiving page set up in her memory: “I am hoping to raise £10,000 for water well to be built either in Sierra Leone or Malawi, where this will act as an ongoing charity for her.”
April 20: Dr Mohanad Noward Eltayib, 36, (Sudan), Cardiologist, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. His friend Dr Reem Bakheit said, “No one can prepare you for a loss. It comes like a swift wind. He was very fit and healthy no medical issues at all – very young, vibrant and full of life we just lost a kind white (pure) hearted soul but he will never be lost in our memories and thoughts of him. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family.”
April 20: Dr Yusuf Ismail Patel, 61, GP, Woodgrange Medical Practice, London. Dr Patel’s relatives have so far raised more than £14,000 towards charitable causes dear to his heart, including Islamic Relief, Ummah Welfare Trust and the Alzheimer’s Society. The family, in a message to donors, said, “Our father was one of the most compassionate, loving and fun human beings you could ever know. He served his community as a GP for over 30 years, but he was so much more than that; the working day was forever for his patients, but the rest of the time was for everyone else.”
https://twitter.com/MuhammadLila/status/1253061628972666886?s=20
April 20: Mr Sadeq Elhowsh, 58 (Libya), Orthopaedic Surgeon, St Helens & Knowsley Hospitals, Merseyside. Hundreds of NHS workers gathered outside Whiston Hospital where he died to pay tribute. Family statement: “Nothing was ever too much trouble for Sadeq. He was always there to help anyone and was happy to do whatever was needed to help his colleagues and patients,” Ravi Gudena, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. “Sadeq was a wonderful husband, as well as a devoted father, and he dearly loved his family. He loved his work and was dedicated to supporting his patients and his colleagues. We cannot put into words the depth of our loss. He loved his work and was dedicated to supporting his patients and his colleagues.”
April 19: Abdul Gellaledin, 53 (Sudan), Ambulance Care Assistant, Falck Ambulance UK, London. His nephew, Ahmed Aburunnat, said, “Abdul was a very kind-hearted, warm, respectful, selfless gentleman who went above and beyond for everyone he encountered. He has left a vacuum of love and mercy that we so need today. Alas, he was sent to his death unequipped.”
April 16: Dr Mamoona Rana, 46 (Pakistan), Trainee Psychiatry Registrar, N.E London Fdn Trust. Dr Azeem Qureshi her husband said, “Dr Rana was a remarkable woman who always held her head high and gave hope and joy endlessly to those around her. She was the loveliest wife and mother of our daughter. She was unique in her poise, grace, intelligence, soft nature, and beauty. I will miss her forever.”
April 14: Khalid Jamil, 57 (Pakistan), Healthcare Assistant, Watford General Hospital. His daughter Sumaiyah Jamil, 22 said, “Many will describe my dad as always having a smile on his face. His loving and supportive nature extended to all his relatives, friends, colleagues, and patients. We cannot put into words the depth of his loss. He was the heart of our family. He was a phenomenal father whom we will miss dearly, and we will keep him in our prayers and cherish our memories with him forever.”
April 1: Dr Hamza Pacheeri, 80, (India), Retired Gynecologist.
Date unknown: Dr Habibhai Babu, Snr House Officer, Whipps Cross Hospital, London.
Date unknown: Dr Hafiz Jalal, Registrar in Cardiology.
Other Muslim healthcare workers who died of Covid-19
Featured in the April issue (No 372) of The Muslim News.
April 12: Rahima Bibi Sidhanee 68, (Bangladesh), Nurse
April 8: Dr Abdul Mabud Chowdhury 53, (Bangladesh), Consultant Urologist
April 8: Dr Fayaz Ayache 76, (Syria), GP
April 6: Dr Syed Zishan Haider 79, (Pakistan), GP
April 3: Areema Nasreen 36, (Pakistan), Nurse
April 2: Prof Mohamed S Shousha 79, (Egypt), Histopathologist
March 31: Dr Alfa Sa’adu 68, (Nigeria), Geriatrician
March 28: Mr Amged El-Hawrani 58 (Sudan), ENT Consultant
March 25: Mr Adil El Tayar 63, (Sudan), Transplant Surgeon
March 25: Dr Habib Zaidi 76, (Pakistan), GP
