Saturday, June 11, 2011

Skin grafting for acid victim

SEREMBAN: A woman who was blinded and badly scarred in an acid attack on March 2 will undergo skin grafting to improve her appearance.

Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital (TJH) ophthalmology department head Dr Bethel Livingstone said there was little hope that Zuhaina Tengkis’ eyesight could be restored but doctors would try to improve the appearance of her eyes.

The 27-year-old mother of two was taken to TJH after the attack and was immediately transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital due to the seriousness of her injuries.

Doing what they can: Dr Livingstone examining Zuhaina’s eyes while Dr Yeow (centre) and Seremban MCA division caring society chairman Titan Ho look on.

Dr Livingstone said Hospital Kuala Lumpur doctors performed membrane grafting to prevent Zuhaina’s corneas from melting and to prevent infection.

“Both her eyes were severely burnt by the acid.

“She will still need to go for follow-up treatment in HKL before the skin grafting operation can be done,” she said after the victim was brought to the hospital for an assessment of her condition.

State MCA chief Datuk Dr Yeow Chai Thiam, who highlighted Zuhaina’s plight, said he would raise funds for the victim and her family as her husband Nor Azman Jani, 30, was a rubber tapper and earned only RM500 monthly.

“Zuhaina’s husband is the sole breadwinner of the family and he can’t go out to work now as he has to look after her and their children.
Zuhaina before the acid attack which left her blind and badly scarred.

“We are hoping to raise funds for his travelling expenses to and from KL and to enable him to start a small business from home so he can take care of his family,” he said, adding that Zuhaina would also be given a wheelchair to help her move about her house.

Zuhaina and her 17-year-old niece were heading back to their Kg Belihoi Orang Asli home near here after meeting a friend in Mantin when they were attacked by two men on a motorcycle who splashed acid on them.

State CID chief ACP Hamdan Majid said police believed the incident was an isolated case and unrelated to the recent spate of similar attacks in the Klang Valley.

Source: The Star Online

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