PESHAWAR: Another doctor succumbed to coronavirus infection in Peshawar on Wednesday, taking the tally of doctors’ deaths from the pandemic to 48 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to Provincial Doctors Association (PDA), Dr Izzat Khan, Principal Medical Officer of District Headquarters Hospital Charsadda died of coronavirus infection.
Dr Izzat Khan was diagnosed with coronavirus and was under treatment at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) Peshawar. He succumbed to coronavirus on Wednesday morning.
Frontline health workers at greater risk
Doctors are at increased risk of contracting coronavirus as they come in contact with various infected persons in hospitals. Shortage of protective equipment at government hospitals make them even more vulnerable.
The arrival of coronavirus vaccine has slowed down the inflections and deaths of frontline health workers. With the arrival of the vaccine it was announced by the government that frontline health workers would get the vaccine under the first priority and then the second priority was the elderly people above the age of 60. However, registration for the vaccination was slower than expected probably due to fear of adverse reaction.
The death of Dr Izzat happened six days after the death of Dr Saghir Ahmed from coronavirus.
According to PDA, Dr Saghir Ahmed, Senior Medical Officer Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Haripur, died after protracted illness in Al-Shifa Hospital Islamabad. He also had contracted coronavirus and was on ventilator after experiencing kidneys failure. His funeral prayers were offered at TIP Colony Haripur the same day.
Schools to remain closed for two weeks
Meanwhile, the federal government announced the closure of educational institutions of all grades in specific cities of Punjab, Peshawar and Islamabad for two weeks from Monday, March 15 due to increasing cases of COVID-19.
Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood said at a press conference in Islamabad that huge impact of pandemic in education sector has been witnessed and 50 million children are at risk due to attending their classes physically. The minister said send-ups in schools will continue and the restrictions do not apply on continued exams at all level. He said the metric and intermediate level exams will be taken in June this year and further decision in this regard will be made later keeping in view the developing situation.
