7-Y-0 burn victim leaves Saturday for emergency treatment in U.S

Seven-year-old burn victim Shaniya Persaud is set to depart Guyana Saturday at approximately 7:00hrs with her mother for emergency treatment at a children’s hospital in Texas, United States.

The Rotary Club of Demerara successfully raised the necessary funds to evacuate the little girl. The total cost for evacuation is about US$42,000.

President of the Rotary Club of Demerara, Hansraj Singh told the News Room Thursday that the club was able to raise $4.5 million, while a non-governmental organisation – Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) – provided the other half of the funds.

Shaniya received second and third-degree burns to approximately 97.8% of her body when her North Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara house went up in flames at around 01:00hrs on August 5, while she was asleep.

The Rotary President told the News Room that he made contact with Government officials to expedite the passports for Shaniya and her mom; he was also in contact with the U.S Embassy so that they too could have fast-track the processing of the visas.

“They collected the visas this morning [Friday] and the aircraft is on its way to Guyana from Mexico,” Singh told the News Room.

Shaniya was accepted to the Shriners Hospital in Galveston Texas for emergency treatment free of cost and according to the Rotary President, it is one of the best children’s medical facilities to treat burns.