Dubai: A 35-year-old Pakistani, who miraculously survived a gas explosion at a Jebel Ali labour camp despite suffering 90 per cent burn injuries, is on the road to recovery thanks to Rashid Hospital's advanced care facility.
Lying on a highly advanced ICU bed in the new burns unit of Rashid Hospital, Alangir Shah, who works as a mason with a private construction company, said he was making tea at the camp on April 15 when the cooking gas explosion took place.
Miraculous escape
"It was around 4am and I was supposed to catch the bus to go to the construction site in an hour's time, but instead I had to be rushed in an ambulance to the hospital," said Shah, who sustained second and third degree burns on his face, chest, upper and lower limbs.
Dr Marwan Ahmad Al Zarouni, Consultant Plastic Surgeon in charge of the Wound and Stoma Care Unit at Rashid Hospital, said: "He is lucky to have survived and what remains is just seven per cent of the raw area to be treated."
Dr Al Zarouni said the latest of the series of procedures done on June 2 entailed releasing the tension on the lower eyelids, which had been pulled down in the mishap thereby damaging the eyeball and making it difficult for Shah to close his eyes.
The operation was a success, he said, adding that the results would show up in three weeks' time.
Shah was one of the first three patients to occupy the hospital's first-of-its-kind burns unit with a three-bed ICU section, in addition to five isolation rooms, a hydrotherapy room, a dedicated operations theatre and stores, said Dr Al Zarouni.
He said all the rooms have been equipped with highly advanced beds that are connected to monitors. He said while each of the air mattresses in the isolation rooms costs around Dh40,000, the three ICU beds cost Dh250,000 each.
Besides other functions, monitors help maintain the air flow and reduce pressure on the patient to prevent bed sores, he added.
Dr Al Zarouni said Rashid Hospital receives around 900-1,000 burns cases every year. While some are discharged immediately after treatment, severe cases need to be admitted with patients being put up for two weeks or sometimes a couple of months, he added.
Meanwhile, Shah said his company was bearing the expense of his hospital stay. Having come to Dubai five years ago to make a living for himself, he said he had no clue what the future held for him. "I may have to go back to Peshawar when I am discharged," he added.
