An eight-year-old Palestinian boy, evacuated to Italy on a humanitarian MedEvac flight which arrived between the night of August 13 and 14, has undergone initial surgery at a hospital in Perugia.
The Umbria Region detailed that the neurosurgical procedure involved the removal of shrapnel from a grenade and bone fragments from his head, followed by a reconstruction of the skull. The child is currently in the intensive care unit, where his condition is reported as good. He is expected to be transferred back to the pediatrics ward for standard postoperative care.
The boy, who was accompanied by his grandparents and an aunt and later joined by his father, was transferred from the military airport in Ciampino to the pediatric unit. There, he is under the care of a team led by Professor Giuseppe Di Cara and the department headed by Professor Alberto Verrotti Di Pianella.
The operation was performed by Dr. Carlo Conti, Director of Neurosurgery at the Perugia Hospital Authority, and his team.
“The Umbrian community stands with this child and his family,” announced the President of the Region, Stefania Proietti. “I wish to thank, one by one,” she added, “the professionals who have cared for him in these difficult hours: doctors, nurses, technicians, anesthetists, radiologists, and all the staff of Santa Maria della Misericordia. It is a silent and precious job that represents the best of our public healthcare system. A heartfelt thanks also to the regional health directorate, to emergency services (118) with Dr. Francesco Borgognoni, to the regional civil protection agency, to the Misericordia volunteers, to the cultural mediators, and to Caritas and the Chianelli Foundation for the logistical and human support provided to the family.”
“The Umbrian network,” Proietti further stated, “has responded with professionalism and humanity. The assistance program we activated places the dignity of the person and the rights of children at the center. The regional institution is grateful to all those who are working for his recovery.”