Paediatric surgeon in Kabul awarded for fish-skin burn treatment

The head of paediatric burns surgery at a major hospital in the Afghan capital has been recognised with an award from an international surgical workshop. Dr. Habib-ur-Rahman Qasim leads the Paediatric Burns Surgery Department at Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul. He was given the Aurora Clinical Excellence certificate during the Arctic Midnight Sun Surgical Workshop that took place in Iceland. The certificate was awarded in recognition of his successful use of fish-skin grafts to treat a child with extensive burns.

In the case that earned the award, a five-year-old boy identified as Hakimullah arrived at the hospital from Farah province. He was admitted on September 24, 2025, after sustaining 50 percent third-degree burns that were complicated by a severe infection. The treatment plan supervised by Dr. Qasim included five operations in which fish-skin grafts were applied to the affected areas.

Following the procedures, the young patient showed steady improvement. He was able to leave the hospital after five weeks of care. No complications arose during his recovery, and he achieved a complete return to health. The boy's father, Agha Mohammad, voiced his appreciation for the care and the results achieved through the treatment.