A large number of 186 physicians from seven countries in a letter to the Nigerian government under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari called for the transfer of jailed Shiite leader Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky to a well-equipped hospital due to his critical conditions, a report by Iran’s FARS News Agency said.

The “group of doctors from Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq in a letter to the Nigerian government pointed to Sheikh Zakzaky’s physical conditions, and asked the Nigerian government to transfer him to a well-equipped hospital as soon as possible,” the report said.

News Express reports that the letter was published hours before the Nigerian government – in obedience to a recent court ruling – released El-Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat from almost four-year custody for treatment in India. Photos from Abuja, the Nigerian capital, showed the couple seated at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport awaiting their flight.

Below is the text of the letter as published by FARS News Agency yesterday, Sunday, August 11, 2019:

“In the name of God, The healer

From the community of Doctors

To the President of the Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Buhari.

In the past several months, the world has constantly received troubling news regarding the health of one of the prominent figures in Nigeria, Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky. Both Skaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife are kept in prison and the health status of both of them is very alarming.

We have chosen to be doctors even after knowing that this job is very difficult and troublesome, but we chose to save people's lives and preferred the health of the society over our personal interests.

According to the medical reports regarding the health status of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky:

1. He is suffering from a total blindness in the left eye, and is also suffering from vision problems in the right eye including glaucoma and progressive macular atrophy. According to the diagnosis of the visiting physicians, Shaikh Zakzaky will lose his vision sooner or later if the current circumstances do not change.

2. He has shown symptoms of Ischemic heart disease which can lead to Myocardial Infraction.

3. He is also suffering from severe cervical spondylosis which has resulted to nerve root compression and symptoms are progressive causing insomnia.

4. The experiments show that he has heavy metal toxicity including Lead and Cadmium. Laboratory tests that are performed on May 31st, 2019 show that blood lead level is 171.94µg/dl. Later on June 18th, 2019 this level was reported to be 231.48µg while in the last laboratory test the blood lead level was three times more than the toxicity level (grade 5 of poisoning).

Based on the points highlighted above, Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky should be transferred to a well- equipped medical center that has Neuro-ophthalmologist, glaucoma specialist and low vision expert, cardiologist, orthopedist and neurologist. Also he may need to have a surgery to reduce intraocular pressure.

We, doctors of different nationalities cannot take the health of any human for granted. This is something that is inherent in our obligation as doctors. Ignoring the critical health status of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky can end up in irreparable consequences.

We request the government and parliament of Nigeria to immediately transfer him to a well-equipped hospital to prevent any unfortunate incidents.

A group of doctors from Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq

Dr Abbas alahmad, Pediatrician, Syria

Dr Abd alkrim Hariri, Neurosurgeon, Syria

Dr Abd almonaam hsanato, Radiologist, Syria

Dr Abdo salami, Dentist, Syria

Dr Addel maheiri, Maxillofacial Specialist, Syria

Dr Ahmad alrahal, Otorhinolaryngologist, Syria

Dr Ahmaad alzien, Thoracic Internist, Syria

Dr Ahmad nasrullah, Dentist, Syria

Dr Ajmal Farooq, General practitioner, India

Dr Alla Aldrin Hassan, Neurosurgeon, Syria

Dr Allaa allnassan, General Surgeon

Dr Amar kiali, Ophtalmologist, Syria

Dr Anas hellali, General Surgeon, Syria

Dr Asma Khalid, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Bakri dablloni, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria

Dr Bassel alshaher, Dentist, Syria

Dr Bsam kedeh, Gastroenterologist, Syria

Dr Fadi alaar, Vascular Surgeon, Syria

Dr Farhat, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Fizza Batool Zaidi, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Furqan Ali khan, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Hania Batool Zaidi, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Hassam Saleem, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Hassan alkhatib, Vascular Surgeon, Syria

Dr Hassan Khalil, Internist, Syria

Dr Houda abdalhadi, Internist, Syria

Dr Ibrahim hadid, Urologist, Syria

Dr Idrak Hussain Bhat, General practitioner, India

Dr Iftikar Hussain, General practitioner, India

Dr Kashaf Zehra Durrani, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Mamdoh zitoni, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria

Dr Manaaf sharbjii, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria

Dr Mhmmod Nasser, Gastroenterologist, Syria

Dr Mirza Arsalan, General practitioner, India

D.Mohamad mohiedin, Pediatrician, Syria

Dr Mohanad battal, Pediatric Surgeon, Syria

Dr mohanad naasan, General Surgeon, Syria

Dr Mohanad zanoube, Ophtalmologist, Syria

Dr Mohd Yaseen Mir, General practitioner, India

Dr Motaz alhmod, General Surgeon, Syria

Dr Muhammad Ajmal Hussain, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Muhammad Ali Kazmi, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Muhammad ali raseed, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Muhammad Amjad Hussain, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Muhammad Baqir, 4 year resident internal medicine, Pakistan

Dr Mouhamad batikh, General Surgeon, Syria

Dr Muhammad Farhan, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Myllad zahlloq, Vascular Surgeon, Syria

Dr Ossama attar, General Surgeon, Syria

Dr Owais Raza General practioner (MBBS), Pakistan

Dr Owais Siddique, General practitioner, India

Dr Raja Munawa, General practitioner, India

Dr Saman Fatima, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Samer alhames, Thoracic Surgeon, Syria

Dr Samer sharbo, Vascular Surgeon, Syria

Dr Sami bitar, Nephrologist, Syria

Dr Saqib Hussain, General practitioner, India

Dr Sharaf ud deen, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Showkat Hussain Dar, General practitioner, India

Dr Shyar mostafa, Neurosurgeon, Syria

Dr Suhail Ahmad Mir, General practitioner, India

Dr Syed ali kuamil, General practitioner Pakistan

Dr Syed Muntazir Mousavi, General practitioner, India

Dr Syed Wafadar Hussain Naqvi, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Syeada Maimoona Batool Rizvi, General practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Taher farfotli, Neurologist, Syria

Dr Tahssin hmidi, General Surgeon, Syria

Dr Waael akari, General Surgeon, Syria

Dr wisaam dieb, General Surgeon, Syria

Dr Yamen yousuf, Neurosurgeon, Syria

Dr Yassin alrahal, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria

Dr Yousef sabsabi, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria

Dr Zaher and allaziz, Vascular Surgeon, Syria

Dr Zaher batal, Nutritionist, Syria

Dr Zaid Jeelani, General practitioner, India

Dr Zeeshan Hadier, Liver transplant surgeon, Pakistan

Dr Arezoo Mohtasham, Radiology Resident, Iran

Dr Azadeh Hashemi, Radiology Resident, Afghanistan

Dr Abolfazl Mohammadi, Orthopedic Surgeon, Iran

Dr Amanollah Karami, Ophtalmologist, Iran

Dr Amir Rahmanian, Emergency Medicine Resident, Iran

Dr Amirhossein Izadyar, General PractitionePractitioner, Iran

Dr Aniseh Aliabadi, Dermatology Resident, Iran

Dr Hamed Abdi, Internist, Iran

Dr Hojjat Madarshahi, otorhinolaryngologist, Iran

Dr Hasan Boskabadi, Pediatrician and Neonatal Specialist, Iran

Dr Hasan Rajabi, Iran

Dr Hasan Sezavar, Iran

Dr Hossein Amirzargir, Urolohist, Iran

Dr Hossein Mohaddes Ardebili, Psychiatric Resident, Iran

Dr Hamidreza Safaei, Radiology Resident, Iran

Dr Hourieh Soleimani, Radiology Resident, Iran

Dr Rahil Daghmagh, General Practitioner, Lebanon

Dr Rose sadat Shamsa, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Reyhaneh Aminorroaya, Elderly Medicine Specialist, Iran

Dr Zahra Behnam Rasouli, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Iran

Dr Zahra Jafar, General Practitioner, Lebanon

Dr Zahra Joshaghani, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran

Dr Zahra Khalili Matinzadeh, Pediatrician, Iran

Dr Zahra Movahedinia, General practitioner, Iran

Dr Zahra Moaddab Shoar, Dentist, Iran

Dr Zeinab Babasafari, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Sajedeh Mousavi, Physical Medicine Resident, Iran

Dr Saiedeh Khatami, Dentist, Iran

DT Soleiman Heidari, Toracic Surgeon, Iran

Dr Samaneh Rahmani, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Seyed Javad Hosseininezhad, Neurologist, Iran

Dr Syed Zaker Hossein Naqvi, General Practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Syed Omran Hyder Zeidi, General Practitioner, Pakistan

Dr Seyed Mohammadreza Parizadeh, Biochemistry Ph.D, Iran

Dr Seyed Mohammadsadegh Mirzaei, general Practitioner, Iran

Dr Seyed Moadkazem Mozaffari, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Seyed Naser Emadi, International Dermatologist, Iran

Dr Seyedeh Afsar Sharafi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran

Dr Seyedeh Zeinab Hashemi Javaheri, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Saeb Aliabadi, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Seddigheh Ayati, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran

Dr Tahereh Labbaf, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran

Dr Arefeh Edalatian, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Iran

Dr Atefeh Kermanshahi, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Abbas Shojaei, Otorhinolaryngologist, Iran

Dr Azra Rashidnezhad, Neurology Resident, Iran

Dr Afraalshahrstani, Pediatric Resident, Iraq

Dr Atieh Mohebbi, Radiology Resident, Iran

Dr Atieh Mohammadzadeh Vatanchi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran

Dr Ali Ebrahimzadeh, Iran

Dr Ali Anjomshoa, Anesthesiologist, Iran

Dr Ali Taghiparvar, Epidemiologist, Iran

Dr Ali Rezazadeh, Internist, Iran

Dr Ali Fazli, Anesthesiologist, Iran

Dr Ali Madarshahi, Internal Surgeon, Iran

Dr Fatemeh Ouchi Ardebili, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Fatemeh Taghizadeh, Physical Medicine Resident, Iran

Dr Fatemeh Joshaghani, Dentist, Iran

Dr Fatemeh Dadelahi, Radiology Resident, Iran

Dr Fatemeh Mehrparvar, Dentist, Iran

Dr Fouzieh Takhari, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Afghanistan

Dr Ghasem Amini, Surgery Resident, Iran

Dr Kamal Heydari, Dentist, Iran

Dr Leila Moaddab Shoar, Radiotherapy and Oncology Specialist, Iran

Dr Majid Habibzadeh Moghaddam, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Majid Abdollahi, Emergency Medicine Specialist, Iran

Dr Majid Ghayour Mobarhen, Nutritionist, Iran

Dr Mohammad Ebrahimi, Iran

Dr Mohammad Sajjadi, Psychiatrist, Iran

Dr Mohammad Sadeghi, Iran

Dr Mohammadtaghi Rajabi Mashhadi, Surgeon, Iran

Dr MohammadJafar Modabber Azizi, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Mohammadreza Behrouz, Iran

Dr Mohammadreza Javdani, Family Medicine Resident, Iran

Dr Mohammadali Kiani, Gastroenterologist, Iran

Dr Mahmoud Jozhaghani, Cornea Specialist, Iran

Dr Mahmoud Fatemi, Radiology Resident, Iran

Dr Mahya Yargholi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran

Dr Morteza Amiri Soleimani, Orthopedic Surgeon, Iran

Dr Morteza Tajaddodi, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Maryam Sadat Paknezhad, Iranian Traditional Medicine Specialist, Iran

Dr Maryam Rezaeian, Dentist, Afghanistan

Dr Maryam Yargholi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran

Dr Mozhgan Mahmoudian, Radiology Resident, Iran

Dr Masoud Maleki, Dermatologist, Iran

Dr Masoud Mahdavi, Radiologist, Iran

Dr Mostafa Jafari, Internist, Iran

Dr Malihe Akbari, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Malihe Hatefipour, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Mahdi Oughli, Internist, Iran

Dr Mahdi Mokhtari, Ophtalmologist, Iran

Dr Mahdieh Pouryazdanpanah, Nutritionist, Iran

Dr Mahdi Miri, Internist, Iran

Dr Mahsa Kia, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Milad Hadadi, Dentist, Iran

Dr Najmeh Khodadadi, Iran

Dr Najmeh Zamani, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Narjes Khatoun Movahedi Rad, General Practitioner, Iran

De Narges Salehi, Cardiologist, Iran

Dr Narges Arabzadeh, Internist, Iran

Dr Nasrollah Hamraz, Internist, Afghanistan

Dr Nafiseh Kazemi Rad, Radiology Resident, Iran

Dr Nafiseh Aliabadi, Pediatric Resident, Iran

Dr Nayerreh Khadem Ghayebi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran

Dr Hadi Hasanzadeh, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Hadi Sherouni, Otorhinolaryngologist, Iran

Dr Hadi Jalali, General Practitioner, Iran

Dr Rezaei, Interventional Cardiologist, Afghanistan"

Sheikh Zakzaky, a prominent Shiite leader, has been in detention along with his wife for close to four years despite the deterioration of his health conditions.

Last Tuesday, in an exclusive interview with FNA, Dr. Pourrahim Najafabadi, MD, said Sheikh Zakzaky needs to be cured by an experienced medical team of physicians in a specialized multi-specialty hospital outside Nigeria, since there is no such medical center in the African country.

“With the current physical condition of the Sheikh, especially the virulent lead poisoning, Sheikh’s life is seriously at risk by delayed treatment. Meanwhile, there is a need for special medical care even in case of complete medical treatment. There is serious risk to Sheikh’s life if he is kept under detention,” said Najafabadi, the founder and spokesperson of a group of expert physicians who have volunteered to treat Sheikh Zakzaky.

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