British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke on Monday visited victims of the Milestone School and College air force jet crash at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS) in Dhaka.
NIBPS resident surgeon Dr Shawon Bin Rahman said that during her 45-minute visit, Cooke met doctors, inspected the burn victims, and inquired about their conditions. She pledged full support for their treatment and rehabilitation and expressed satisfaction with the hospital’s treatment protocol.
A nine-member UK Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT) has been working with Bangladeshi doctors at NIBPS for the past week. The team, on a three-week mission, has attended all medical board meetings over the last three days and follows a combined treatment protocol, visiting patients daily.
“The British medical team comprises highly experienced specialists, including infectious disease experts, intensive care doctors, infection prevention and control nurses, and rehabilitation specialists,” Rahman said. He added that they are working alongside Bangladeshi clinicians to provide critical care and rehabilitation.
Currently, 23 burn victims remain under treatment at NIBPS, with one patient in critical condition in the ICU. So far, 14 survivors have been discharged.
The crash occurred on July 21 when a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet struck a two-storey building of Milestone School and College in Uttara shortly after take-off, killing 35 people, including the pilot, according to the Health Ministry.
