Bangladesh-born doctor who urged PM Johnson to provide PPEs dies of virus

A Bangladeshi British doctor who warned United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson that health workers on the front line did not have enough personal protection equipment (PPE) has died of COVID-19.

Abdul Mabud Chowdhury, a 53-year-old consultant in the urology department at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Romford, worked for the NHS for more than 20 years after migrating from Bangladesh.

He died on Wednesday aged 53 after spending 15 days in hospital.

In a Facebook post on March 18 directly addressing Johnson, Chowdhury urged the prime minister to provide PPE for "each and every NHS health worker in the UK", as he called for him to fast-track testing for medical staff.

Doctors, nurses and other workers who are in direct contact with patients were trying to help, he wrote, "but we are also human beings [with] human rights like others [trying] to live in this world disease free with our family and children."

While he appreciated moral support being given to NHS workers, "we have to protect ourselves and our families and kids in this global disaster crisis by using appropriate PPE and remedies," he said. "I hope we are by default entitled to get this minimal support for our safe medical practice."

Chowdhury, who was born in Bangladesh, was 53 and had no underlying health conditions. The Muslim Doctors Association said it was “deeply saddened” by his death.

In a Facebook post it said: “He leaves behind his wife and two children. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”

Dr Chowdhury started talking about the [coronavirus] issue from the very beginning, asking why the British government and other European countries weren't taking rigorous and strict measures to control it.

Chowdhury's death came amid mounting concerns that medical workers are not receiving adequate PPE. Some have claimed that they have had to share PPE, while reports in UK media suggest some nurses have resorted to using bin bags as aprons.