Boy mauled by stray dogs to undergo major surgery today

A 10-member special medical board, constituted by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, examined six-year-old dog-bite patient Hasnain at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Karachi, and decided to perform a major surgery to remove infected wounds and tissues from his face and insert a feeding tube, health officials said on Thursday.

“Today, the 10-member special medical board examined the condition of injured child Hasnain and they have planned a major surgery tomorrow [Friday] to remove the infected skin and tissues from the face and head of the child. A new feeding tube would also be inserted in his body to feed him as he would be unable to eat himself for weeks or even months ahead,” said Prof Dr Jamal Raza, director of the NICH, while talking to The News on Thursday.

Hasnain had drawn national and international attention after he was mauled by five to six stray dogs in Larkana last week. The dogs had bitten off most of his face, cheeks, nose, ears, eyelids and part of the scalp. The boy was shifted to Karachi, where he has been undergoing treatment at the NICH since then.

On the directives from the CM, the health department has constituted a 10-member medical board comprising top specialists of the country, including pediatric, plastic and maxillofacial surgeons.

To be headed by pediatric surgeon Dr Jamshed Akhtar from the National Institute of Child Health, board comprises Dr Anwar Arain, Dr Ghulam Shabir and Dr Jahan-e-Alam from the JPMC, Dr Anwar Ali from the DUHS, Dr Mazhar Nizam from Patel Hospital, Dr Shahab Baig from the LNH, Dr Jahanzeb Moghal, Dr Aziz ur Rehman and Prof Tariq Rafi, ENT surgeon and vice chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) Karachi.

Prof Jamal Raza maintained that the boy was still in a critical condition as his wounds were catching infection. He added that the boy’s face and skin on the head had been bitten very badly by the dogs, but Friday’s surgery would help him recover and improve his health.

“Skin grafting is the next step in the plan after some healthy tissues grow on his face and then further procedures would be planned but this is a long, slow process. It would take several months as the wounds on the face of the child are deep and serious.”

To a query, he said that following the skin grafting surgery, procedures could be planned for the reconstruction of his face and other organs, including his nose, eyelids and ears. He added that an eye specialist also examined the patient and hoped that his eyes could be saved despite the savage canine attack.

Sattar visits child

Former Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Farooq Sattar visited the NICH to inquire after the health of Hasnain and said the government should immediately start culling stray dogs to prevent incidents of dog bites and deaths due to rabies.

“If the PTI and the PPP have been voted to power by stray dogs, then they should save them, but if they have been voted to power by humans, they should protect them and save their lives,” he said and added that the provincial government and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation had completely failed to protect citizens against diseases.