Okaz/Saudi Gazette

MADINAH — Muhammad Al-Otaibi, a Saudi nurse, has become the third healthcare hero to have died of coronavirus after two female nurses — Nujood Al-Khaibari and the Filipino Merline Sabdani — succumbed to the virus earlier.

All three of them sacrificed their lives while carrying out their selfless and heroic mission in saving the lives of coronavirus infected patients in Madinah.

Muhammad, aged 49, contracted the infection while caring for and treating COVID-19 patients at Uhud Hospital. He had an excellent track record spanning over a quarter of a century in serving patients in the nursing profession.

After the outbreak of the pandemic, he had proved himself as one of the most perfect examples of sacrifice and humanity as he carried out his duties round the clock along with a medical team to combat the coronavirus before succumbing to it. Muhammad’s colleagues in the hospital tried to save his life but they failed in their efforts as he breathed his last as the third victim of the virus from among the nursing staffers working in Madinah.

Awad, brother of Muhammad, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the Health Affairs Department in Madinah tasked Muhammad to be among the health practitioners to combat the coronavirus. “He did not hesitate for a moment to accept the humanitarian mission, saying, “we will not be affected except what God has written for us”. He continued to remain in his workplace along with his medical and nursing colleagues,” he said.

Awad said that Muhammad developed symptoms of the virus at the end of the assignment period and was tested negative in the beginning. After three days, when symptoms and fatigue increased, he underwent screening for a second time and tested positive. So he remained in medical isolation for four days, and by that time his health conditions deteriorated. Eventually, he was admitted to the intensive care unit of Uhud Hospital and was on a ventilator. All the efforts of doctors to save his life ended in failure.

Awad recalled that Muhammad lost his son Ayed in a traffic accident while he was 18 years of age. Muhammad is survived by an 18-year-old daughter and a baby boy who is less than five months old. “My brother did not suffer from any chronic disease, and he was preparing to complete his doctorate study after he obtained a master’s degree in sociology,” he added.

Last June, Nujood Al-Khaibari, another Saudi nurse, succumbed to coronavirus. Nujood, aged 45, was admitted to Uhud Hospital after testing positive for the deadly virus where she breathed her last.