Boy injured by rampaging hyenas brought to Israel for treatment

Funds still being raised for continuation of Ethiopian boy's treatment in Nahariya hospital.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Hyena370 (photo credit: Reuters)
Hyena370
(photo credit: Reuters)
Abdul Razek, an eight-year-old from Ethiopia who was violently attacked by wild hyenas outside his home and could not receive the necessary medical care in his country, was brought on Monday to the Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya.
The government hospital’s director-general, Dr. Masad Barhoum, praised the collaboration of the United Jewish Communities, the Jewish Agency, the Joint Distribution Committee and the Foreign Ministry to make the effort successful.
“I’m proud to be a part of this health care system that acts without hesitation to save the life of a child, not just those in Israel but also to provide humanitarian aid internationally when we are able. This shows the unique nature of Israel,” Barhoum said on Monday.
Amir Yarchi, director of the Friends of the Western Galilee Hospital, added that the organization began fundraising for the mission and continues to raise funds from donors both in Israel and abroad for both the necessary treatments and housing arrangements outside the hospital.
Injured boy with his father.
Injured boy with his father.
In total, the funds needed for the treatment and transportation of the boy are estimated at above $40,000.
Five months ago, Abdul was attacked by wild hyenas that entered his small village, seriously injuring his head and face. Fearing for the child’s life, his father brought him to Attat Hospital, a Catholic mission center in Addis Ababa where he has been recovering since the incident. However, due to the limited medical treatments available to the small facility and the lack of sophisticated equipment, the doctors and nurses were unable to give the advanced care the child needed. Abdul needs major skin grafting across his head and other surgeries to repair his face before his injuries become consumed by infection.
Dr. Rick Hodes, chief physician of the JDC’s medical mission in Ethiopia, set in action this international collaboration with the Western Galilee Hospital. Hodes described the boy’s medical case to visiting physicians from the US.