Child injured by gunfire from Myanmar being transferred to Dhaka’s NINS hospital in critical condition

The National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital (NINS) in Dhaka is prepared to provide treatment to Huzaifa Afnan, the 12-year-old child who was critically injured by a stray bullet allegedly fired from Myanmar along the Teknaf border.

Huzaifa was transferred this afternoon (13 January) from Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and will be brought to NINS under special medical arrangements as her condition remains critical. 

A bed has already been kept ready for her in a post-operative room, and she will be admitted immediately upon arrival.

The information was confirmed by Dr Humayun Kabir Himu, associate professor of the Department of Interventional Neurology at the National Institute of Neurosciences Hospital.

Huzaifa was admitted to CMCH yesterday, where she underwent emergency surgery. According to doctors, the gunshot injury caused severe pressure to build up on one side of her brain. To relieve the increased intracranial pressure, surgeons operated on her and removed part of the right side of her skull, leaving it open as part of the treatment.

On Wednesday at around 11am, a medical board comprising neurosurgeons, neurologists, paediatricians, vascular surgeons, ICU specialists, and anaesthesiologists was formed to assess her condition. 

The board decided to transfer the child to NINS for further treatment, citing the need for advanced neurosurgery and critical care facilities.

Doctors said Huzaifa's current level of consciousness is 7 out of 15, indicating a critical condition. She has been placed on mechanical ventilation to support her breathing.

Confirming the development, CMCH Director Brigadier General Taslim Uddin told The Business Standard that the child's condition is extremely serious.

"The bullet lodged in her head could not be removed through surgery due to the high risk involved," he said.

"The bullet is embedded in such a position that attempting to extract it could cause severe bleeding and may lead to death. Considering the need for advanced neurosurgery and critical care facilities, we decided to refer her to Dhaka."

Earlier, Taslim Uddin said the child had been on life support and receiving ventilator support at CMCH.

"She underwent surgery on Sunday night, but the bullet could not be removed," he added.

The incident occurred around 10:30am on 11 January in the Techchi Bridge area of Whykong Union in Teknaf. Huzaifa, the daughter of Jasim Uddin and a resident of Techchi Bridge village, was hit by a stray bullet allegedly fired from Myanmar's Rakhine State across the border. Another person was also injured in the same incident.

After being shot, the child was initially taken to CMCH and admitted to the ICU on Sunday evening, where she was kept on life support.