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Enioluwa Adeniyi
Guest
Two of the ten schoolgirls who suffered severe burns from a gas explosion in Ebonyi State have tragically succumbed to their injuries.
The news was confirmed by the Chief Medical Director of Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki, Professor Robinson Onoh, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.
The explosion occurred at the Good Shepherd Catering School, where the girls, aged between 12 and 19, were engaged in their catering studies.
According to reports, the incident was triggered when one of the students answered a phone call while cooking in the kitchen, leading to a gas cylinder explosion.
In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, five of the victims were placed on life support, highlighting the severity of their injuries.
The incident took place in Orokeonuoha, located in the Ebonyi Local Government Area.
Professor Onoh stated that medical personnel were working tirelessly to provide the necessary care and ensure that no further fatalities occurred.
He said, “Both nurses, plastic surgeons, anaesthetist team, internal medicine and respiratory team and management are on the ground to do the needful.
“We lost two already; one on arrival, and yesterday, 19 October, we lost another, making it two deaths. Our team is on the ground to make sure we do not lose another person.”
Onoh revealed that inhalation and saver dressing foam were the major challenges.
He added, “Inhalation is a result of accumulation of smoke from burns; it is part of the burns affecting their breathing; we have been able to separate them.
“The saver dressing foam reduces the frequency of dressing and makes the healing process faster.
“The inhalation is a big challenge; burns can be managed but once there is an inhalational component, it becomes a problem.
“Saver dressing foam is quite expensive; it is not available here; we had to get this from Enugu State.
“We hope to get more; we do not want to use a particular one which could cause infection, pains and affect healing.
“We need help because it is demanding on the hospital, using internal infusion and drugs.”
The medical doctor called on the Ebonyi State Government to assist the hospital in ensuring the medical care of the patients.
“We are also calling on Wife of the governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, to support and also medical organisations, philanthropists to help,” he said.
Onoh applauded the management, reverend sisters and priests in the catering school for their level of concern in providing care.
Augustine Nwokoku, the father of one of the victims, commended the medical team and management of the school on teamwork to ensure the hospitalised students were taken care of.
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