A teenager's hopes of becoming an Emirates airline pilot have been resurrected after a surgeon in Dubai used innovative stem cell treatments to repair severe burns sustained in a gas explosion.
Mohammed Garba, 18, from Katsina in Nigeria, was helping his father tend to eggs in an incubator at home when a gas bottle exploded nearby. The blast scorched his face, arms and legs causing agonising pain and devastating injuries.
Mr Garba was rushed to hospital nearby, and then flown to Cairo to undergo several skin grafts to repair the damage, most of which failed.
These stem cells crawl on the skin like ants and start quickly covering the wound
Dr Sanjay Parashar,
plastic surgeon
A year on, Mr Garba feared his dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot was over as he was unable to walk or move his arms.
But after contacting Dr Sanjay Parashar, a leading plastic surgeon, on Instagram, Mr Garba was flown to Dubai to undergo the latest skin grafting techniques that have set him on the recovery road.
“My hands were badly injured as I used them to cover my face as the explosion happened,” he said.
“When I looked down at them the skin looked like water, the pain was indescribable - I had never felt anything like it.
“I shouted and my parents, my brothers came out.
“A policeman lived nearby to us, so he helped take me to the hospital quickly.”
Mr Garba spent 17 days in hospital in Nigeria.
Then, in September, he flew to see a specialist in Cairo, with his family spending $20,000 on his care.
When he returned home, he was told to regularly change his dressings to avoid infection.
Painful recovery
That, however, prevented the skin grafts healing correctly and he remained in excruciating pain.
His long, slow recovery forced him to abandon his training at the aviation college near his home town.
“I was worried my wounds weren't healing as it had been more than a year since the accident,” said Mr Garba, who has four brothers and three sisters.
“I searched for plastic surgeons on Instagram, and messaged Dr Sanjay who got back in touch really quickly.
“I asked if he treated burn patients, and he then asked me to come to Dubai for a consultation.”
Mr Garba arrived in Dubai last week for a meeting with Dr Parashar, a plastic surgeon who specialises in skin grafts at the Cocoona Clinic in Al Wasl.
He was then transferred to the nearby Dubai London Hospital to undergo two new skin grafts.
“The first thing I realised was he was changing his dressings every other day, which was a mistake,” said Dr Parashar.
“When any wound is healing, tiny stem cells or epithelial cells are growing, but every time you remove the dressing they're gone.
“We told him to apply some creams and sprays to encourage the healing process and keep the wounds clean.
“He improved very quickly and the pain reduced, he was soon much happier.”
Dr Parashar took small pinch skin grafts, a special technique, and a blister graft from his stomach to apply to the wounds.
They were applied in several places with collagen powder to improve healing.
An artificial dermis, or extra skin layer, was created and applied to allow for elastic movement in the knees and elbows to improve his mobility.
A further meek micrograft was added, where skin is stretched to two or three times its usual size to cover a wider area.
“We have stem cells in our epidermis and in the hair follicles and sweat glands,” said Dr Parashar.
“These stem cells crawl on the skin like ants and start quickly covering the wound.
“I have to pinch skin from the donor and put it into a machine to develop more skin graft skin cells that can then be applied.
“Stem cells are very powerful and have huge potential for healing these kind of wounds.”
Surgery keeps dream alive
Dr Parashar has waived the Dh50,000 medical fees he would usually charge to take on such a case.
Despite that, Mr Garba's family has incurred other considerable medical costs.
Mr Garba, who is accompanied in Dubai by his older brother, Umar, a civil servant in Nigeria, is hoping to extend his visa in the UAE to three months so he can continue his recovery and rehabilitation.
He has not given up hope of one day achieving his dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot.
“Becoming a pilot has always been on my mind, even through all this,” said Mr Garba.
“I have always wanted to fly aircraft, ever since a child.
“The training cost is very expensive, so I’m not sure my parents can now commit to that after all my medical costs.
“Hopefully one day I will be able to learn to fly, maybe even with Emirates. For now, I just want to recover.”
A previous version of this article featured the headline "Nigerian teenager given free surgery after gas explosion causes devastating burns". This has been amended to "Nigerian teenager given free care after gas explosion causes devastating burns" owing to the fact that Mr Garba's family did contribute towards Dr Parashar's fees, despite him waiving Dh50,000 in charges and providing pro bono care.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
ABU DHABI T10: DAY TWO
Bangla Tigers v Deccan Gladiators (3.30pm)
Delhi Bulls v Karnataka Tuskers (5.45pm)
Northern Warriors v Qalandars (8.00pm)
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
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The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
