coronavirus new york city

Coronavirus News: Queens doctor is providing medical care to immigrants during COVID-19 crisis

Saturday, April 18, 2020

NYC doctor provides medical care to immigrants amid COVID-19

Naveen Dhaliwal reports on a doctor in Queens who is providing health care to immigrants too afraid to seek medical help amid the coronavirus pandemic.

JACKSON HEIGHTS, Queens (WABC) -- A doctor in Queens is providing health care to immigrants too afraid to seek medical help amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Ferdous Khandker is the lone wolf doctor in Jackson Heights who works 14 to 16 hours a day.

He's a Bangladesh native who knows the South Asian community needs him more than ever during this COVID-19 crisis.

There's so much that's changing and patients having significant language barriers is cause for even more fear.

Khandker speaks five languages and tirelessly suits up in PPE doing four to five house calls a day, and a majority of his patients are immigrants with coronavirus symptoms.

The doctor says that his patients are very scared to go to the hospital and fear that they are going to die.

Khandker gives out his cell number and answers 200 daily calls.

Shanta Hosneara was one of the calls that Dr. Khandker received when her father was very sick.

Hosneara's father is now on the mend but Dr. Khandker is still on the go, creating social media pages to get advice out.

The doctor's main message to people is to stay home.

Not only is Dr. Khandker providing his medical services during home visits, he's also providing supplies like masks and gloves to those who need it, including health care workers.

Tens of thousands of supplies go to local hospitals in Queens. So why does he do it?

He says he wouldn't be in the right profession if he was to stay home, not with doctors and nurses coming from different states to fight the battle here.