KUALA TERENGGANU: Psychological therapy needs to be administered immediately to those injured in the balloon explosion which occurred at the Batu Burok recreational park here last Friday.
Special attention will be given to the ten warded patients, particularly the four who have to undergo skin grafting.
This is in view that some who have to undergo the procedure might not be able to accept their new look after the operation.
State Welfare Department psychologist Rozilah Jaafar said the incident might have left a permanent psychological scar on the victims, especially the children.
She said the victims could still be struggling and are unable to accept the fact that the explosion has partially ravaged their physical appearance.
“It is not an easy time for most of them. While the pain from the burn is still there, they have to cope with another pain, which is to have their skin replaced through skin grafting.
“Intensive support from their family members is very crucial at this stage. We are ready to render our counselling service to the victims so that they can recover from the trauma as fast as possible,” she said in an interview.
The balloon explosion, which happened towards the end of the Walk for the Blind event at the Batu Burok recreational park, injured 31 people.
It was reported a cluster of 150 black and white balloons was supposed to be released during the event organised by the Ophthalmology Department of the hospital but it failed to float away after the strings become entangled. They were set aside.
During the lucky draw session, some schoolchildren began reaching for the balloons.
Police are still trying to piece together what happened but it was believed that someone used a lighter to cut the entangled strings before an explosion took place, which injured those in the vicinity.
Of the 31 victims, ten were warded, of which, four are required to undergo skin grafting.
Rozilah said the department counsellors had offered tele-counselling to the victims who had received outpatient treatment. This can be followed by home visits, if needed.
She said the department still had no access to those warded victims.
“I have received instruction from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to render our services in whatever way needed as soon as possible,” she added.