By Muhammad Luqman
Forty- year old Sajjad is among those fortunate survivors of the Ahmadpur East Oil inferno whose body has undergone surgery at a Lahore hospital to graft the skin donated by an American non-governmental organization, Community Tissue Services.
Skin measuring 108000 square centimeters has been received from the United States . Of this, 70,000 square centimeters was used in the grafting of skin of Sajjad and another patient Habib, says Dr. Moazzam Tarar, Executive Director, Burn Unit, Jinnah Hospital.
The Hospital Chief Executive has also announced the donation of his skin.
The skin is retrieved from the body of the donor within six hours of his/her death. The skin is peeled off from the legs, back and arms in a very skillful manner.
The American NGO had announced the donation of skin grafts for the victims of the oil tanker explosion that took place on June 25, just a day before Eidul Fitr in Ahmadpur East in Central Pakistan.
More than 200 persons were killed and another 75 received burn wounds while trying to loot petroleum after an oil tanker turned turtle.
We greatly appreciate the spirit of compassion shown by Community Tissue Services, USA, for the kind donation’, Pakistan’s Consul General in US town of Chicago, Faisal Tirmizi said in a statement.
The Community Tissue Services contacted the Pakistan Consulate to donate skin grafts for the wounded and the offer was accepted by the Government of Pakistan. The logistics for transportation of skin grafts in timely manner have been completed by the Pakistani Mission.
Tirmizi said that the donation of skin grafts not only supplemented Government of Pakistan’s efforts to provide treatment to the victims but also gave hope to the families of wounded individuals in this hour of sorrow and grief. He particularly thanked Community Tissue Services International Sales Director Michael Blair for reaching out to the consulate in a timely manner and making arrangements for the dispatch of 114 square feet of skin grafts.
In countries like Pakistan where donation of human organs and skin is not very common, donations from other countries are welcome at the time of tragedies like Ahmadpur Sharqia
