PESHAWAR: The public sector Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre, Hayatabad, has begun an awareness campaign to reduce high incidence of burn injuries during the winter season saying most people suffer burns due to the gas leak-induced explosions.

“The number of burns cases goes up during the winter season as the people use gas indoors carelessly leading to explosions and fire eruption. We [doctors] ask them to shut off gas to heaters and stoves indoors before hitting the bed besides disallowing minor children into the kitchen,” Prof Tahmeedullah, director at the Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre, Hayatabad, told Dawn.

According to him, the incidence of burn injuries hasincreased by 50pcdue to the “excessive and careless” use of gas in homes.

Prof Tahmeedullah said women should use small pieces of cloth to cover heads instead of long dupattas for own safety from fire, while children should be stopped from going to the kitchen to prevent mishaps.

Official says gas blasts causing high incidence of burn injuries

He also said the people should keep the thermostat of gas-fired geyser at warm and disconnect gas to it before going to bed.

The director said in many cases, the elderly people and children suffered burns while bathing in bathrooms due to steam from boiling water.

He said more than 10 burn injuries entailed high morality, but little care at home could reduce that incidence.

Prof Tahmeedullah said the centre had so far treated around 5,000 patients with burns, and they included those with burns on 50pc of the body.

He said such injuries were preventable.

According to him, the 120-bed centre, which became operational in 2019, not only treat burns patients but also spread awareness of ways to prevent burn and electric injuries and protect people against complications.

The director said even if treated, the people with burns faced health, social, psychological and physical issues and couldn’t lead a normal life like before.

“The sole solution is prevention, which costs nothing but just care,” he said.

Prof Tahmeedullah said often, 50pc beds remained occupied by burn injuries as we receive 70pc patients referred from different districts.

He said many hospitals had burns wards with trained staff but patients were still sent to Peshawar worsening their condition.

The director said the growing incidence of burns led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the training of the students of Doctor of Physical Therapy, BS Occupational Therapy, Surgical Technology, Emergency Care Technology, Medical Laboratory Technology, Anesthesia Technology and Nursing of Khyber Medical University (KMU) in the management of burn injuries.

He said the KMU had planned to start a degree programme in occupational therapy to help burns victims to live or work like other people.

Prof Tahmeedullah said occupational therapy enabled burns survivors to “hold pen, change clothes and drive cars” on their own.

He said the cases of burn injuries, which began increasing in November, declined in mid-February as the winter season was on its last legs.

The director said the centre imparted training to doctors, nurses and paramedics in effective management of burns cases in hospitals.

He expressed concern over the sale of gas in plastic bags and demanded of authorities to crack down on the practice.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2022