Afghan girl with brain injuries admitted to AIIMS

A 10-year-old girl from Afghanistan who suffered brain injuries during a bomb blast has been brought here and admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said officials on Thursday.

According to the doctors, Zakia Moqim was brought to the premier hospital on November 8. Apart from injuries in the head and legs, she is also suffering from hemiplegia, or no movement in one side of the body.

The patient was brought to AIIMS after her father approached the Afghan embassy here which facilitated her arrival to the country for treatment.

"The condition of the girl is such that she has multiple shrapnel penetration injuries into her brain and skull and also shrapnel lodged in the right frontal lobe of the brain," said a doctor treating the patient, adding that she also had swellings on the right side of her brain.

Zakia is currently in the Neurological ICU and was given antibiotics and medication.

As per the medical team, the foreign bodies that penetrated into her skull were not taken out as it was not medically advisable, while other treatment is on.

Orthopaedic and plastic surgery was done to treat her leg fracture and skin loss.

"Zakia has now gained consciousness and is fully alert," said the doctors.

--IANS

rup/vd