Christian sanitary worker in Pakistan dies after doctors refuse to touch his 'unclean' body

A Christian sewer worker, who fell unconscious while cleaning a manhole in Umerkot, Pakistan, died at the hospital after doctors, who were fasting for Ramadan, refused to treat him until his body was washed.

Irfan Maseeh, along with three other sanitary workers, were taken to Civil Hospital Umerkot for treatment after they fell unconscious while cleaning a manhole on Chorr Road.

According to DNA India, family members pleaded with the hospital staff to treat Irfan, but the doctor at the facility refused to touch his body because he was fasting.

"Dr Yousuf said he would not touch Irfan's dirty body until it was cleaned. I cleaned his body, after which an oxygen pump was sent for Irfan, but that was empty," said Irfan's brother, Pervaiz.

He said that Irfan fainted after inhaling poisonous gases that were trapped inside the manhole when he attempted to clean it on Thursday.

"My brother died during the process of cleansing the filth from his body," Pervaiz told Dawn. He contended that his brother could have been saved if he had been given treatment in a timely manner.

After Irfan passed away in the government hospital, the three other sanitary workers were referred to Hyderabad and then to Karachi for medical treatment.

Umerkot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Usman Bajwa said that the workers fell unconscious because were not provided with safety equipment.

Irfan's family alleged that the doctors' negligent response to an emergency situation and the lack of proper facilities at the hospital resulted in his death.

Members of the Christian community in Umerkot, along with some workers at the local municipality, gathered outside the local press club to protest against the local administration and hospital for refusing treatment to Irfan.

The demonstration lasted for 10 hours with assurances that an investigation will be conducted against the municipal authorities and doctors. Sanitary workers who joined the protests accused the municipal committee's non-cadre officers Khalid Punjabi and Behari Lal of compelling Irfan and the others of working without safety gear.

The police stated that the main accused, Dr. Jaam Kunbhar, had been arrested and raids have been conducted to arrest two other doctors, who were identified as Dr. Yousuf and Dr. Allah Dad Rathore. Kunbhar had claimed that Irfan had passed away even before he reached the hospital.

Umerkot police had registered a First Incident Report (FIR) against six suspects, including the three doctors, on behalf of Irfan's father, Nazeer Maseeh.