Following his announcement to suspend all surgeries at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and its satellite centres in Tando Mohammad Khan and Sukkur, Dr Pervez Chaudhry was removed as the head of surgery at the institute.

A hospital order signed by NICVD executive director Professor Nadeem Qamar said that Dr Asad Bilal Awan Associate Professor of Cardiac Surgery, has been given additional charge as Acting Head of Cardiac Surgery Department with immediate effect, local media reported.

When contacted by DAWN, Dr Chaudhry regretted that he was requested to return from the US to serve the country and now it was humiliating to him to be replaced by his student.

On Monday, he had announced that NICVD has postponed all surgeries for a week after several doctors and staff members tested positive for the novel virus.