A SURGEON from Whalley has returned to Pakistan to help victims of the country's devastating earthquake.
Mr Aamir Zubairy a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Burnley General Hospital, flew to Muzzaffarabad and Balakot last October in the immediate aftermath of the devastating earthquake, which levelled whole villages in the mountainous region.
Now Mr Z
ubairy is back this week in Abbotabad – 60 miles north of the capital Islamabad, where he is carrying out limb reconstruction surgery on victims who have developed bone infections.
Speaking before his trip, Mr Zubairy said: "When my colleague, Mr Nadeem Iqbal, and I returned last October we both felt there was still a lot to do. "Thankfully, I have been given the opportunity to return and help people who have suffered complications since having emergency surgery last year.
"Due to the chaotic nature of the process in October, it is not surprising some patients have developed infections. I am glad of the chance to help again although it will be quite complex work."
Mr Zubairy, who is married with two young daughters, has gone out with a team from Liverpool through the MIST charity (Mobile International Surgery Team).
He added: "I will be using a technique developed by a Russian surgeon named Ilizarov, which puts a metal framework outside the body to help support the bone while it heals.
"Because of infection we cannot put metal inside the limb, which is why this technique is so useful. I think the situation has improved a lot since October, but there is still much to do."
If anyone would like to support the MIST charity, visit www.M-I-S-T.org.
