dr kazmi ahmed 3×2
Dr Kazmi’s clinic is less than 800m from Grenfell Tower in west London, and his actions the day of the tragic fire helped alleviate the suffering of a stricken community.
In the evening, he went to the local rescue centre, sat down on the floor and played with some children.
‘I didn’t use my stethoscope at the centre, but I still feel I was a doctor,’ he wrote. ‘I think sometimes empathy and witnessing someone’s grief are as important a part of our role as procedures or prescribing.’ Through his writing in the BMJ, he gave victims and the community a voice, describing the sense of togetherness that prevailed despite the grim nature of their circumstances.
Also a stand-up comic, with gigs at Edinburgh Fringe and Melbourne International, Dr Kazmi has promised to donate profits from his next show to a fund for victims of the fire.
He says: ‘I always learn from my patients but seeing how these people have dealt with such a tragedy has been very inspiring. A patient told me: “Keep doing the work you are doing, you are making us very proud”; that was one of my proudest moments.’
His other project over the year has been his work to reduce suicide risk among GPs by giving talks on the issue, destigmatising it and offering practical support.
What he says ‘The privilege of helping the community and individuals at this time has given me a sense of pride and purpose’
What others say ‘A local GP who has risen to the occasion’
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