The real victims of the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice: injuries related to the sacrifice

Abstract

BACKGROUND During the Feast of Sacrifice in Muslim countries, thousands of animals are slaughtered every year. Many injuries occur during the sacrifice. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the demographic characteristics of patients, their slaughtering experience, types of injury, and related hospital costs. METHODS This prospective observational study was conducted in Emergency Departments (EDs) of Gazi University and Ankara Training and Research Hospital. One hundred and twenty adult patients were admitted to EDs with injuries related to the slaughter and processing of meat during two consecutive Feasts of Sacrifice. RESULTS The average age of patients was 41.85 +/- 13.6, and 101 patients (84.2%) were male. One hundred sixteen patients (96.7%) were not professionals. Ninety-seven patients (80.8%) were admitted to EDs on the first day of the feasts. Ninety-nine injuries (82.5%) were related to cutting tools, and 21 patients (17.5%) were admitted with complaints of either falling or being harmed by animals. Fourteen patients (11.7%) with tendon lacerations, finger amputations, extremity fractures, and eye traumas were taken into surgery. Hospital costs were a median 104.76 [67.48-322.12] Turkish Liras (74.30 [47.86-228.45] USD). CONCLUSION Proper conditions for slaughter should be provided and professionals should perform the slaughter and/or processing of the meat. EDs should be supplied both more equipment and physicians, especially on the first days of the feast.