Afghan surgeon wins international award for fish-skin burn treatment

Dr. Habib-ur-Rahman Qasim, a pediatric surgeon at Kabul's Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital, has earned international recognition for his pioneering work in treating severe burn injuries. He received an Aurora Clinical Excellence (ACE) Recognition certificate at the Arctic Midnight Sun Surgical Workshop in Iceland, a leading global event for wound care and burn treatment specialists.

Dr. Qasim's award specifically highlights his successful application of an innovative fish-skin grafting technique on a five-year-old child who suffered extensive third-degree burns covering approximately 50 percent of his body. The child also presented with a severe infection, a condition challenging even in advanced healthcare settings. Dr. Qasim described the child's condition upon arrival as "critical."

"We immediately started treatment and intensive care. Our first priority was to stabilise his overall condition before carrying out surgery," Dr. Qasim told Pajhwok Afghan News. After initial stabilization and removal of damaged tissue, the medical team managed to control the infection. Following consent from the guardian, the fish-skin graft was applied for the first time.

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When the child was brought to us, he was in a critical condition. We immediately started treatment and intensive care. Our first priority was to stabilise his overall condition before carrying out surgery.

Remarkably, five days later, the child showed significant improvement. "When we changed the dressing, the child was doing well, eating normally, and we were even able to carry out the procedure without anaesthesia," Dr. Qasim recalled. "We talked with him during the dressing change and, fortunately, he experienced very little pain. Seeing his recovery was extremely encouraging for the entire team."

Dr. Qasim, who represented Afghanistan at the workshop alongside over 300 specialists from various countries, shared this case study, which garnered significant attention. The ACE certificate acknowledges doctors achieving outstanding clinical results through the use of fish-skin graft technology, showcasing advancements in burn treatment originating from Afghanistan.

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Five days later, when we changed the dressing, the child was doing well, eating normally, and we were even able to carry out the procedure without anaesthesia. We talked with him during the dressing change and, fortunately, he experienced very little pain. Seeing his recovery was extremely encouraging for the entire team.