Mahdia fire: Teen seeking treatment in US undergoing skin grafting

…to return home next month

Almost two months ago, one of the teenage victims of the tragic Mahdia dormitory fire was flown to the United States of America to undergo treatment.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony informed on Monday that after successes in her treatment, she should return to Guyana by August.
Speaking with the media, the Health Minister updated that the young girl underwent skin grafting procedures owing to the extent of her injuries. She is currently under the care of highly-skilled medical professionals at the Northwell Health Burn Care Center in New York. The institution has been recognised among the top burn centres globally.

“They have been grafting the skin and putting it on the place that was burnt. We expect that she would be discharged very soon and she should be able to come back home maybe sometime next month,” he explained.
It was on May 27 when the critically injured teen was picked up by the Global Rescue Ambulance via the Air Ambulance at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and taken to the Northwell facility – which has waived all costs for medical care.
She was among several others who were admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital on May 22 following the fire at dormitory which shook the nation. While at the GPHC, she underwent two surgeries, and her condition, though critical, improved steadily.
Director of the Regional Burn Center at Northwell Health’s Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH), Dr Michael Cooper had indicated when she was medevacked, “The patient suffered second and third degree burns to about 40 per cent of her body…These injuries require skin graft surgery and 24/7 management.”
The death toll from the Mahdia fire, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) is 19 female students from the dormitory and a five-year-old boy. Several persons also suffered from burn injuries and smoke inhalation but were discharged.
At that time, Northwell Health’s Center for Global Health (CGH) had also been working directly with the Health Ministry and GPHC to provide support through its crisis telemedicine platform.
At the time of the blaze, the facility housed 59 students from the communities of Karisparu, El Paso, Micobie and Chenapau. The Guyana Fire Service confirmed that 14 children died in the inferno while five died at Mahdia District Hospital.
The fire claimed the lives of Subrina John, Belnisa Evans, Loreen Evans, Bibi Rita Fiona Jeffrey, Lisa Roberts, Tracil Thomas, Delecia Edwards, Lorita Williams, Natalie Bellarmine, Arianna Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Martha Dandrade, Mary Dandrade, Omerfia Edwin, Nickleen Robinson, Sherlyn Bellarmine, Eulander Carter, Andrea Roberts, Sherana Daniels and Adanye Jerome, the son of the dorm mother.
It was set maliciously set by a 15-year-old student, who has since been charged with 20 counts of murder.
Psychiatrists, child psychologists, counsellors and social workers make up the teams that were dispatched to Mahdia.
These teams were asked to work in Mahdia and surrounding villages over three months, while plans to establish a strong mental health team permanently will be implemented. (G12)