A one and a half year old child victim of the Quetta Methodist Church Bomb attack is fighting to save her life after poor medical treatment at Civil Hospital, Quetta has led to a serious gangrene infection that has already lead to the loss of her right foot.
During the Islamist attack on 17th December 2017, Aleeza Ashraf was struck by several bits of shrapnel from the detonation of an explosive device worn by one of the two terrorists who attacked the church. The shrapnel embedded themselves in Aleeza’s abdomen and her right foot causing excessive bleeding and pain, which resulted in Aleeza falling unconscious and her family believing that she was dead.
When BPCA first visited her only days after the attack doctors caring for Aleeza advised our officers and the family that she was recovering slowly from her injuries. They failed to recognize the onset of gangrene which had resulted due to an obstruction in her right dorsalis pedis artery – a blood vessel of the lower limb that carries oxygenated blood to the dorsal surface of the foot.The obstruction to blood supply lead to formation of gangrene and has already resulted in her left foot having been amputated.
“Aleeza is innocent, she has done no wrong. She does not have the ability to speak or to cause anyone any harm. At such a young and vulnerable age she has lost her right foot and has suffered pain that no child should have to go through.
“Aleza was born healthy and in a loving family and we will support her whatever condition she ends up in. However at the moment unless she survives through this terrible time we may not see her alive for much longer.
“Please pray for her and ask our great God to save her life.”
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said:
“This family have gone through enough trauma, more so than many people could cope with. Mother Shamim is bed bound in Quetta while her daughter of less then two years is required to travel 450 miles away for special medical care.
“The emotions the family have been put through have been immense especially when you consider initially they thought their child had been killed in the attack.
“We desperately want to bring some normality back into the lives of this family and would like to help restore Aleeza to her original health, albeit without a body part. To do this we need your help and pray some of you respond to this urgent appeal.”
An estimate for the total cost for treatment, air tickets and medicine is set at £3703, however Aga Khan Hospital have already intimated that these
costs could increase depending on the nature of her infections and the treatment required to bring her back to a place of stability.
British Pakistani Christian Association, desperately needs more donations to help save the life of this child. If you would like to help Aleeza you can donate by clicking (here).
Aleeza, her sister and some volunteers have arrived safely at Aga Khan hospital and Aleeza’s treatment has begun. You can read more by clicking (here) but please do not do so if you will find graphic images of the operation offensive.
