7-year-old burn victim on recovery road as first corrective surgery successfully completed

Seven-year-old Shaniya Persaud, who was severely burnt about her body less than a week ago, is demonstrating great determination in her road to recovery, as the youngster successfully completed her first corrective surgery on Tuesday, and is now in a stable condition.

Little Shaniya underwent her first phase of treatment to remove the damaged tissues across her body after being safely medevacked to the Shriners Hospital, Galveston Texas in the United States (US) from Guyana on Saturday last. This was according to a non-governmental organisation, Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA), which disclosed this success via a social media post.
SHEA added that the child’s condition is now listed as stable, as she is expected to undergo another surgical operation today.
The NGO in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Demerara, are the two organisations which successfully raised funds for the little girl to be transferred for overseas treatment. The cost is estimated to be about US$42,000, which is equivalent to GY$8,807,400.
The child sustained third and second degree burns across 97.8 per cent of her body when her home at Lot 101 Mon Repos North, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was completely gutted by a fire of an unknown origin.
Persaud survived the fire by walking out of the house as it burned; she was covered in flames and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital by neighbours
Previous reports indicate that the child’s mother left the home to attend a wedding in the community on Sunday, leaving her in the care of her older siblings.
An investigation has since been launched by the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service.