12 burn victims still at ICU

Some 69 burn victims from the aircraft crash at Milestone School and College were undergoing treatment at different hospitals as of 12:45 pm Wednesday. Of them, 40 were children and 12 of the victims are undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU).

The figure was disclosed in a post from the official Facebook of the chief adviser yesterday around 2:00 pm. Later, in another post from the same Facebook page it was said that 13 of the 69 burn victims undergoing treatment at different hospitals were released as of 7:15 pm. However, the identities of the 13 patients who were released on Wednesday were not disclosed.

Analysing the first list provided by the chief advisers press wing, it has been learnt that of the 69 victims undergoing treatment includes 41 students, 5 teachers, 1 fire service officials, a police member, 14 army personnel, a housemaid, an electrician and four others.

Of the 69 patients, 40 are aged below 18, five are aged between 40-50 years, one is aged above 50 and the age of one of the victims could not be confirmed. The remaining 22 are aged between 18-40 years.

The chief adviser’s press wing said most of the injured have major burn injuries. Some 44 of the victims are undergoing treatment at the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute. Some eight of the victims are receiving treatment at the ICU. Besides, four of the burn victims are undergoing treatment at the ICU of Combined Military Hospital.

Meanwhile, National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute director Md Nasir Uddin said in a press conference held yesterday that eight of the 44 victims undergoing treatment at the institute are in critical condition, 13 have severe injuries and 23 are in intermediary stage.

He further said, “We sat with the physicians from Singapore. We shared our decision with them. They also gave their opinions. We discussed each patient separately regarding their medication, surgery and treatment process.”

The chief adviser’s press wing reported 29 casualties from the fighter jet crash as of 7:15 pm Wednesday. However, the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) had earlier said that the death toll stood at 31 as of 12:00 pm on Tuesday. Later that night, another person died while undergoing treatment at the burn institute, which is why the media reported the death toll as 32. The government said yesterday that the number of dead is 29. There was some confusion about the figures initially.

Bodies of the 22 deceased, whose identities were confirmed, have been handed over to the families. However, the press wing stated yesterday that the bodies of 21 victims had been handed over to their families. The list did not mention the body of the deceased pilot, Flight Lieutenant Towqir Islam. In reality, his body was buried last Tuesday. So, the actual number of identified bodies stands at 22.

According to the press wing's list, the bodies identified so far are: Tanvir, 14, Afnan Faiyaz, 14, Mahrin, 46, Bappy, 9, Maksuda, 37, A B Salman, 14, Shayan Yusuf, 14, Erickson, 13, Arian, 13, Nazia, 13, Nafi, 9, Rojoni Islam, 37, Md Samiul Karim, 9, Fatema Akter, 9, Mehnaz Afrin Humaiya, 9, Saria Akter, 13, Nusrat Jahan Anika, 10, Saad Salauddin, 9, Saima Akter, 9, Junayet, 9, and Omar Nur Ashfiq, 11.

Apart from that, identities of seven of the deceased could not be confirmed. Six of the bodies have been kept at the CMH while another unidentified person died at Lubna General and Cardiac Centre.

The health ministry has requested the families of the victims whose names have not appeared in the list of injured or deceased to submit DNA samples at the CID building, in the capital’s Malibagh.

The special assistant to the chief adviser in charge of the ministry, Md Sayedur Rahman, made the request in a statement. He said that so far, only one family of the missing persons has provided a DNA sample. If DNA samples can be collected from all the families of those still missing, it would be possible to confirm their identities through DNA matching in the shortest possible time.

The health ministry said in a press release that six bodies currently kept at the CMH morgue are yet to be identified. Samples have already been collected from these bodies for DNA profiling under the supervision of ministry experts. The DNA analysis will be carried out at the CID laboratory as soon as possible.

According to the press wing's list, of the 44 patients admitted to the burn institute yesterday, 35 were children. Among the 12 patients undergoing treatment in the ICUs of the Burn Institute and CMH, seven are children. This situation is forcing healthcare professionals to pay special attention to the children. Family members are also deeply concerned about their condition.

Milestone school fourth grader Alvira is undergoing treatment at ward 520 of the burn institute. Prothom Alo spoke to her uncle Zawawed Emon last evening. He said the physical condition of his niece has improved a bit. However, the child has been crying intensely and writhing in pain. Family members have been staying by their side around the clock, taking turns.

Yesterday afternoon, Dr Md Nasir Uddin, director of the Burn Institute, said at a press conference that in the treatment of burn victims, decisions change by the hour. Children and the elderly are the most vulnerable. A separate treatment protocol is being followed for the children.

Yesterday afternoon, Md Nasir Uddin, director of the Burn Institute, said at a press conference that in the treatment of burn victims, decisions change by the hour. Children and the elderly are the most vulnerable. A separate treatment protocol is being followed for the children.