ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, with at least 8,000 people infected across the country.
The outbreak has caused the deaths of 291 people, including several medical professionals. On Monday, Vahid Monsef of Gilan Medical Sciences University became the latest medical professional to die from the disease in the hospital where he worked.
He had spent weeks trying to save infected patients as they flooded onto his poorly equipped ward.
Medical professionals are working round-the-clock to treat patients across Iran, at great risk to their health.
Dr Mohammad Nikpour works at Baqiyatallah hospital in northern Tehran, treating patients who have contracted coronavirus.
The 45-year-old kidney specialist is considered by staff as the “spiritual father” of the hospital.
He has not seen his family in a month and he is particularly close to his 14-year-old daughter Nazanine.
He spends the night at the hospital with nurses and his students who are learning from their tutor.
Dr Nikpour makes sure to interact with his patients individually and listens to their worries for several minutes while he checks on their health.
A nurse who works at the hospital praised Dr Nikpour’s efforts.
“We are all aware of his sacrifices and his expertise in these difficult times. He can easily read the pictures and distinguish between those who have the coronavirus and those with lung inflammation,” said Maryam Shiri.
The much-loved doctor received a pleasant surprise on Saturday, which marked Father’s Day in Iran.
He was asked to attend to a patient who has arrived at the hospital and was reportedly in a critical condition . Rushing to the top floor to meet the patient at reception, the doctor was instead greeted by Nazanine, who had come to wish him a happy father’s day.
A crew from Farsnews were present to record the encounter, which left nurses tearful.
“Dad, lets go home,” Nazanine whose name means “dear”, tells her father.
“Dear Nazanine, you are my dear but you need to understand that all these patients who are lying on these beds are dear too. I hope you understand this.”
“Dad we understand, stay for as long as you need to,” his daughter responded.
Asked if he expected his daughter to come to visit him, Dr Nikpour said he was expecting patients to be discharged, but not to see his daughter.
I had a feeling that something good was going to happen, initially I thought it was the discharge of 18 patients, ten of whom had the virus and recovered. To be honest this is going to be the best memory of my life, in the same way that her birth was many years ago when I heard that Nazanine was born,” Nikpour told Mashregh News.
