On the first day of Eid al-Adha, many people attempting to sacrifice animals in Ankara were injured and subsequently admitted to hospitals. Ankara Bilkent City Hospital’s Emergency Department, in particular, saw a significant increase in patients due to these incidents.
Surge in Patients at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital
Associate Professor Dr. Hasan Murat Ergani from the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital informed Anadolu Agency that the hospital had prepared an 80-person team for Eid al-Adha. He noted a high number of patients injured during sacrifices on the first day of the holiday.
“Around 60 patients have arrived, and more are still coming. We expect this number to exceed 100 by the end of the day,” Ergani stated. He emphasized that the public is warned annually about injuries during sacrifices, especially those involving non-professionals using knives or cleavers.
Warnings for Subsequent Days of Eid
Ergani highlighted that while the first day sees injuries from the initial sacrifice, subsequent days often involve injuries sustained at home while butchering the meat. “For other days, people need to be warned. For example, on the second and third days, after the sacrifices are made and the meat is brought home, people start cutting it, and injuries among household members increase. Women are quite predominantly affected in these cases.”
He also mentioned injuries related to mincing machines. “Mincing machines are quite alarming for us because people catch their fingers and hands. There is a guard, but they remove the safety device, and people get their hands caught. This is surgically very difficult for us because the fingers are crushed and fragmented.”
Ergani’s recommendation is to “leave the job to professionals.” He also cautioned that even professional butchers are at high risk of accidents, stressing the importance of resting when tired and avoiding distraction.
Plastic Surgery Team Handles Numerous Cases
Associate Professor Dr. Burak Yaşar, also from the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, described a busy day for the plastic surgery team on Eid duty, where they intervened in approximately 60 patient cases.
Yaşar noted that the most common injuries were to the left hand due to knives slipping. “In the morning, mostly amateur butchers are injured, and towards evening, as fatigue increases, professional butchers are more likely to get injured,” he explained. He reiterated, “Our advice is to leave the job to experts. It is very important that butchers do the cutting.”
Personal Account of an Injured Individual
Hüdaverdi Çetin, who was admitted to the emergency room after injuring his hand while sacrificing an animal, recounted his experience with a laugh. He said that while attempting to sacrifice an animal with his sons and son-in-law, the animal’s horn pierced his hand. Doctors in the emergency room immediately intervened and stitched the wound.
“We sacrifice every year; this is the first time this has happened. This is the first time something like this has happened to me in my life. When the animal is large, you can’t pay too much attention; it doesn’t matter if there are 3-5 people, it just throws them off,” Çetin stated.
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