Zainabu's road to recovery from severe burns
Zainabu Haroub Said arrived at the local hospital in her city of Arusha, Tanzania as she had suffered severe burns.
In February 2021, Zainabu had been playing with her friends when her mother, Zuleha, asked her to check on a stew that was cooking. Horrifically, the open flame in the kitchen caught Zainabu’s dress and, before she knew what was happening, she was engulfed in fire. By the time her mother got to her, her clothes were so burnt that they had stuck to her skin.
Her wounds were cleaned out, but after a month of pain the local hospital had done all they could with the resources available to them. Zainabu was referred to Muhimbili National Hospital – a hospital over 600km away with a Kids Operating Room.
She underwent skin grafts and surgeries on her wounds and continued to do so over the remaining months of 2021. These surgical procedures were possible due to the skills of the local surgeons and specialist paediatric tools provided by KidsOR when the Operating Room was installed. Zainabu and her mother spent Christmas and New year in hospital, apart from their family, so that she could receive the care she needed.
In what has been a long recovery Zainabu received the last of her skin grafts in February 2022 and is now starting physiotherapy. She has remained smiling and resilient throughout, and thanks to the surgery she received she can progress her education and childhood free from pain and disability.
"We are positive that she will resume her normal life; schooling and play with friends, once she is done with physiotherapy and counselling." Dr Edwin Mrema.
“Zainabu came when she was weak and needing a lot of care as the burns were massive. We, as the doctors who have been treating her, are proud of the progress she has made.” observed Dr Edwin Mrema, plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Muhimbilli National Hospital.
