A surgeon who was unhappily, isolated from his family for four of the most terrifying months of the pandemic to work in Covid wards died at last after his fight for nine weeks.
Doctor Irfan Halim, a caring father and most importantly a strong one who gave his all to bring up his four kids who are all under the age of 12, was a gifted doctor at Swindon Hospital where he met and treated more than 250,000 patients in his career.
Dr Halim, who was characterized by his wife as “ten men in one body,” was supposed to be at work on Friday the 10th, but he never showed up, Wales Online reports.
Describing herself as “broken-hearted in a way that is impossible to imagine”, Saila Halim noted: “My beloved Irfan passed away on Sunday, November 14 at 7:51 pm in a serene atmosphere together with my him whose head I lay on my lap and I prayed and expressed my love to him accompanied by his brother and sister along with his dear friends who were with us.”
Biography
| Attribute | Value |
| Full Name | Dr. Irfan Halim |
| Born | N/A |
| Education | N/A |
| Occupation | Consultant General Surgeon |
| Workplace | Swindon Hospital, UK |
| Death | Died of COVID-19 on September 23, 2021 at age 45 |
| Achievements | – Specialized in laparoscopic surgery – Spent time working on Harley Street in London |
| Personal Life | – Married to Saila Halim – Father of four children |
| Legacy | – Described as a “tower of strength” and “best friend to so many” – Raised over £80,000 on a GoFundMe page to support his family after his death |
Key Facts
- Dr. Irfan Halim was a consultant general surgeon who worked at Swindon Hospital in the UK.
- He specialized in laparoscopic surgery and also spent time working on Harley Street in London.
- Halim contracted COVID-19 while working on the COVID-19 intensive care unit wards at Swindon Hospital.
- He battled the virus for 9 weeks before passing away on September 23, 2021 at the age of 45.
- Halim was the sole breadwinner for his family, which includes his wife Saila and four children.
- After his death, a GoFundMe page was set up to raise funds to support his grieving family, which raised over £80,000.
- He was remembered by friends and colleagues as a “tower of strength” and “best friend to so many” who dedicated his life to helping others.
Who Was Dr. Irfan Halim Surgeon?
Mr. Irfan Halim is a skilled and sought-after General and Laparoscopic Surgeon in London. From his private clinics at BMI The London Independent Hospital, The Blackheath Hospital, BMI Hendon Hospitals, Highgate Hospital, and Harley Street clinics, he provides a wide range of General Surgical services. These include upper GI surgery, colorectal surgery, bariatric surgery, laparoscopic surgery, endoscopies, and hernia treatments.
He has a special interest in Virtual Reality surgery, medical education, and ultra-minimally invasive surgery. Mr. Halim handles one of the highest patient volumes in the UK, seeing around 300 new patients monthly and performing over 1200 procedures annually.
His short-term and long-term outcomes are excellent, supported by regular audits. His daycase procedure rate exceeds 99%. His outstanding outcomes make him the preferred surgeon for hospital staff members and their families seeking general surgical advice or treatment.
Mr. Halim graduated in 2000 from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Medical School with honors and distinctions. He trained in general surgery with a focus on laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery on the North Thames Higher Surgical Rotation.
He completed his specialist training in GI surgery at UCL Hospitals, with additional training in cancer surgery at the Royal Marsden Hospital and bariatric surgery at the Homerton Hospital. He won numerous awards and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2014. Additionally, he holds a master’s in Surgical Technology from Imperial College London and an MBA from the US.
Mr. Irfan Halim is an experienced surgeon. He used to work as a consultant surgeon for the NHS. He worked at West Hertfordshire NHS Hospitals Trust and the North East London NHS Treatment Centre from 2016. Now, he focuses on private practice full-time. His private practice mainly deals with day-case procedures. These include gallbladder surgery, hernia repairs, skin procedures for cosmetic purposes, and colorectal surgery. He can complete these treatments quickly after the first consultation.
Mr. Halim also offers training courses for general practitioners (GPs). The courses cover topics like hernia surgery, rectal bleeding, and hemorrhoids. Over his career, he has published many textbooks and book chapters on bariatric and general surgery. He has taught numerous courses too. Mr. Halim reviews articles for reputable medical journals. These include BMJ Case Reports, The International Journal of Surgery, and The Journal of Vascular Surgery and Research.
Mr. Halim is a member of several professional organizations. These include the British Medical Association, the Association of Upper GI Surgeons-UK, and the British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society-UK. He is also part of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the World Endoscopy Organisation (WEO). Mr. Halim is a highly sought-after speaker at major international medical conferences due to his expertise.
Dr Irfan Halim Death Cause
A brave doctor who fought against COVID-19 sadly died from the virus. He was so close to getting his booster shot, just days away. His wife Saila shared her heartbreak.
Saila said her hard-working husband got both vaccine doses. He would have eagerly taken the third booster shot if he could. But sadly, Dr. Irfan Halim caught the deadly virus while caring for patients. This happened just before the booster rollout began.
Dr. Halim had his second vaccine dose in January. Then on September 10th, he got COVID-19. He battled the virus for nine long weeks before tragically passing away.
People remember Dr. Halim as a devoted dad of four. He worked tirelessly for 25 years, treating over 250,000 patients.
His devastated wife Salia said he went to work at Swindon Hospital and never returned home.
With her “heart shattered in pieces,” she announced that he had died.
The grieving wife told the Daily Mail: “My husband worked away from London. I’m not sure which vaccine he got, but he had both doses and wore full PPE on the wards.”
“It’s a double tragedy. We’re in too much pain to think of anything else right now.”
She shared that he died just two months after starting work in the COVID ICUs at Great Western Hospital in Swindon. Doctors were worried he got COVID-19 while working. He fell sick during his shift and spent nine weeks in very bad health.
The dad, who was 45 years old, had his family around him on his last day.
Salia said: “I held him close and whispered prayers and loving words. We lost our hero. He was an amazing husband, father and son. He was a best friend to our whole family.
“We all feel empty inside, and I’m not coping well. He was my life, my world, everything to me. Nothing could have prepared us for this loss.”
The doctor had been helping people with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic in 2020. September 10th was just another regular day saving lives for him.
‘DOUBLE TRAGEDY’
A friend said that Dr Halim never smoked or drank. He was a kind man who helped people all the time.
The friend also said that Dr Halim worked hard to spend time with his children every day. His youngest child is five years old. He dedicated 25 years of his life to working for the NHS.
In a sad post on social media, Mrs Halim said: “Irfan, you gave me 15 wonderful years as your wife. You gave me four beautiful children and many happy memories that I will never forget.
You worked hard for 25 years as a Consultant General Surgeon for the NHS.
Please remember him in your prayers. Give his children strength after losing their loving father at such a young age.
Irfan, you were not only my best friend but also a best friend to our children and many others.”
You were the definition of helping others. – Hash Syed
Many doctors are sharing their sadness over losing this well-respected surgeon.
Dr Halim saw around 300 new patients every month. He performed over 1,200 procedures every year.
Hash Syed worked with Dr Halim to build a new digital health platform. He said: “I will always remember the fun times we had building Entero near Liverpool Street.”
A person can do many things. You helped people in many ways. You rode your scooter around. You also worked at a burger place.
You knew how to be a doctor, a pilot, and a lawyer. You were very good at many jobs. Most importantly, you were a loving dad and husband. You were a great friend too.
Mrs. Halim said more. She said you were ethical. You were a true friend. You know many skills. You taught lots of students. She said you were like ten people in one body. You could do so many different things.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Dr Halim’s family and has already raised more than £80,000.
Dr Irfan Halim Education
- MBA, Accelerated Program, Distance learning, Washington DC (2017-2018)
- FRCS, Royal College of Surgeons England (2014)
- GDL, The University of Law (2009-2010)
- DIC Diploma of Imperial College London (2006)
- MSc, Imperial College London (2002-2005)
- MBBS, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Medical School (1995-2000)
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Last Updated on July 4, 2024 by 247 News Around The World
