Six-year-old Malik Hashim discharged from hospital after surviving throat cut
What you need to know:
- Witnesses said Malik’s survival was largely due to his bravery after he managed to stagger from his parents’ house despite being seriously wounded and bleeding profusely.
Dar es Salaam. A six-year-old boy, Malik Hashim, who survived an alleged attempt to slit his throat, has been discharged from the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH).
Malik, a Grade One pupil, was allegedly attacked by a housemaid last month after returning home from school in Goba Kinzudi, Kinondoni District.
Witnesses said Malik’s survival was largely due to his bravery after he managed to stagger from his parents’ house despite being seriously wounded and bleeding profusely.
Speaking to The Citizen on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, MNH’s head of the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Department, Dr Aslam Nkya, said Malik has been discharged after a significant improvement following a successful surgery.
Dr Nkya said the surgery, which involved a team of 12 healthcare workers, took five hours.
He said the boy had been seriously injured, requiring the department to treat him for 25 days.
“He is now ready to go home but will be making a weekly visit. We thank God we were able to save his life,” he said.
Dr Nkya said in the meantime, the boy has been provided with a special tool known as a tracheostomy that will help him to breathe.
He said he is expected to resume normal breathing two weeks after being discharged.
MNH director of surgical services, Ms Rachel Mhavile, said the hospital has qualified experts to handle complicated cases, urging the public to effectively use them.
“They should build a culture of taking patients for specialised treatment immediately after falling sick or accidents,” she said.
She thanked President Samia Suluhu Hassan for covering the child’s treatment costs.
For his part, Maliki’s father, Mr Hashimu Katumbi, thanked everybody who supported the family as it was passing through a difficult and trying moment.
“I should ask for more financial support as the family is still grappling with treatment challenges and the creation of different, friendlier environments for the child,” he said.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, the Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander Jumanne Muliro declared a manhunt for the alleged housemaid, Ms Mirembe.
Speaking on Monday, July 22, 2024, Mr Muliro said the suspect was apprehended on Sunday, July 21, 2024, after an extensive manhunt.
“The suspect is being thoroughly interrogated and will be brought to court as soon as possible for the law to take its course,” said Mr Muliro.
In the wake of this horrifying incident, the police continue to urge parents and guardians to take extra precautions to protect children and other vulnerable individuals.
“We should try to instill the habit in children of walking in groups, and we continue to advise children not to approach or befriend strangers,” the police emphasised.
This advice is particularly pertinent given the increasing number of incidents involving child disappearances over the past few weeks here in Dar es Salaam and across the country.
