DUBAI, 5 November 2006 — The Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) yesterday announced the start of treatment for third degree burns on five-year-old Rawan Al-Ghoul from the West Bank town of Jenin.
Rawan and her mother were brought to Dubai last week. Rawan was burned on her arms, chest, back and abdomen in an accident and could not be properly treated in Palestine. This is the second child brought to Dubai this year by the PCRF and the third in the past two years.
Plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery specialist, Dr. Jaffer Khan of International Medical Clinic, Dubai, will administer free medical advice and surgical attention to Rawan. The Welcare Hospital, Dubai has volunteered its surgical theater and supporting medical services free of charge.
Providing details on the treatment, Dr. Khan said: “Rawan will need full bodied pressure garments to heal the scars completely. The pressure garments are individually tailored, elastic type garments that exert a constant pressure over the burn scars. This helps to prevent the scars from overgrowing (hypertrophic scarring), and becoming gnarled and lumpy. The garment also help to prevent the formation of scar contractures, which is a tightening or pulling of the skin in a band-like fashion that decreases movement.”
PCRF has facilitated the free treatment of over 750 children since 1991. It is currently giving free medical care for several injured and sick children from Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq.
In April this year, PCRF brought 15-year-old Mohammed Salameh from the Jenin refugee camp to Abu Dhabi for surgery.
In June, they brought 13-year-old Yousuf Halahla to the International Modern Hospital in Dubai. Yousuf, from the West Bank town of Hebron, suffers from congenital deformities in both his legs.
