Coronavirus: Al Ain doctor dies after contracting Covid-19 from patient

Tributes have been paid to a "courageous" doctor who died after contracting Covid-19.

Sudhir Rambhau Washimkar was infected with the virus on May 9 while on shift Burjeel Royal Hospital Al Ain.

The 61-year-old, from India, was checked into Burjeel for treatment and two days later, when his condition deteriorated, transferred to the government-run Al Ain Hospital and placed on a ventilator. He was given dialysis after his kidneys were affected but his organs began to fail. He died on Saturday, June 6, leaving behind a wife and two sons.

On Sunday, Dr Washimkar's colleagues paid tribute to an “amazing” doctor who they described as “one of the best”.

“He was taken from us too soon. He was one of our best doctors and an amazing human being," said Dr Arum Menon, regional director of Al Ain VPS Healthcare.

"He was a very joyful person and always had a smile on his face. He was a genuinely good person."

There are 330 staff members at Burjeel Royal Hospital Al Ain.

Dr Washimkar was the first to die of Covid-19.

He was cremated in a small ceremony, in line with restrictions on gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak, which was attended by few friends and family.

Dr Washimkar joined Burjeel Royal Hospital, run by VPS Healthcare, in 2018 as a specialist in internal medicine. He moved to the UAE 10 years earlier and had worked at NMC Specialty Hospital in Al Ain, where he moved up the ladder to become the head of the emergency room.

“We will miss him,” said Dr Suhail Saheel, regional operations director at Burjeel.

“When the pandemic first broke out in China, he was the first to come forward with back up plans and suggestions on how to keep our patients safe.”

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Dr Menon said his colleague "was one of the most courageous and bravest frontline warriors at the forefront of giving... since the beginning of the outbreak of the pandemic in the UAE".

Dr Washimkar's two sons are following in the footsteps of their father by studying medicine.

"This was Dr Washimkar's dream. To fulfil this, VPS healthcare will take up the responsibility of financing the education of the children and will bear the entire cost of about Dh300,000 annually until the completion of their studies," said Dr Menon.

"They are part of our great family and will continue to be so.

"We will be taking care of all their needs and will stand by them in all their steps in fulfilling the dreams Dr Washimkar had cherished for his family."