A young boy whose life was blighted by a snake bite is finally capable of use his right arm following surgery and care from health charity Mercy Ships.
Yusif, from Sierra Leone, was just five years old when he was bitten by a snake while he was playing football with friends. He is now 11.
The bite left fang marks in his right hand and caused a stabbing pain that rose from the hand to the arm. In a matter of minutes, the young boy’s arm was covered in bruises and blisters.
The only medical treatment available was a conventional healer who instructed Yusif to ingest some herbs, which proved ineffective.
Tertius Venter, a volunteer surgeon with Mercy Ships, explained the results of not getting immediate and effective medical treatment.
“[The snake venom] caused widespread tissue death and infection,” he said.
“His body then shed the dead tissue and the healthy tissue from the edges grew together to shut the wound. During that process, the joints were pulled in opposite directions causing a severely deformed limb.”
Yusuf’s mother, Mariama, hoped that doctors would have the option to revive his arm, nonetheless after taking him to a hospital in Sierra Leone, she was told the one option was to amputate, something she refused to just accept.
According to Mariama, “Yusif felt ashamed and have become very shy … He would hide his arm inside his shirt on a regular basis, so it began to bend that way.”
In 2023 a lifeline appeared in the shape of Global Mercy, the most important charity hospital ship on the earth.
After a three-hour surgery in October 2023, a follow up surgery just a few weeks later, and three months of sometimes painful rehabilitation, Yusif’s arm was restored to its proper function.
Yusif said of his experience, “I feel good now … I used to be not capable of do anything before with my hand, but now I can do all the pieces. I can assist my mum, I can play football, and go to high school without feeling ashamed.”
His mother thanked God and Mercy Ships for his or her intervention: “Mercy Ships has done a terrific job for our family … God made it possible through them so we’re grateful. When I saw Yusif’s hand straight, I used to be so completely satisfied seeing my son. We each hugged ourselves with beautiful smiles. Then Yusif said, ‘Mummy, see my hand’.”
