‘Like being a soldier in a war’: Doctors describe the horror of their fight against an invisible enemy

With cases rising and a shortage of medical staff, beds and equipment, Borzou Daragahi meets medics across the Middle East being thrust into the battle against Covid-19

Members of the Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine in Istanbul hold a minute’s silence for a retired colleague killed by the coronavirus (AFP/Getty)

Coronavirus is taking its toll on medical systems across the Middle East, posing a fresh threat to an already unstable region many consider ill-equipped to address the pandemic. In Turkey, Covid-19 is overwhelming hospitals, especially in Istanbul and other big cities, where it has already felled major medical professionals treating the infected.

Egypt has begun instructing doctors about the virus, organising emergency webinars for those dealing with the crisis. But several hospitals have been inundated with the illness, including one cancer hospital which was shut down after 17 medical staff tested positive for coronavirus. The nation’s ambulance association says it’s rushing between 150 to 170 suspected Covid-19 cases to hospital every day. “It’s like being a soldier in a war,” says Abdallah Hussein, a doctor in the southern Egyptian city of Aswan. “But we all are very happy to be here.”

In Jordan, Lebanon and other countries, the illness has remained mostly manageable as governments enforce draconian lockdowns and prepare for the worst. But doctors across the region say they are being overwhelmed with cases of respiratory illness that are beginning to tax their abilities and resources.