A spokesperson Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation on Tuesday issued a statement clarifying that no record had been found of Dr Furqanul Haq being brought to the emergency ward of the institute. Haq passed away last week from the coronavirus after being allegedly denied treatment at the hospital Haq.
“All paramedics on duty were asked to clarify the matter,” the spokesperson added. Security tapes also testify to this, the spokesperson added.
Haq, a retired doctor, tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago, and died on Sunday morning after he was allegedly denied treatment at various public and private hospitals in Karachi. The Sindh government subsequently launched an inquiry into the death.
Dr Haq, the cardiologist who had recently retired from the KIHD and had also been associated with two private health facilities, had tested positive for COVID-19 along with his wife last week.
“He was in self-isolation at our residence in Gulshan-e-Iqbal where his condition deteriorated last night,” said the wife. “So he asked me to take him to any specialised hospital, but due to the unavailability of beds, he was turned away by three hospitals,” she said.
The death of Dr Haq due to the unavailability of beds at the intensive care units of any health facility in Karachi, as reported by his wife, led to outrage on social media and doctors expressed shock at the treatment meted out to their former colleague.
