PESHAWAR: The rising number of burn incidents is a major cause for concern, as most of these accidents could be prevented if people adopted basic safety measures at homes and workplaces, plastic surgeons said at a symposium on Tuesday.
“Women and children are the primary victims of preventable burn injuries, which often result in lifelong disabilities and physical disfigurement,” said Prof Obaidullah, Head of the Plastic Surgery Department at North West General Hospital.
The symposium was organised by the Burn and Plastic Surgery Centre (BPSC), Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), at the Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) to raise awareness about burn prevention and promote safety measures against domestic and industrial accidents.
Prof Obaidullah warned against allowing children into kitchens, saying that simple precautions could prevent serious accidents. He advised women working in kitchens to wear caps instead of long scarves or shawls to reduce the risk of their clothing catching fire.
He said the primary objective of the symposium was to educate the public and healthcare professionals about preventing household and industrial accidents and ensuring timely responses when such incidents occurred.
He pointed out that existing facilities for burn patients were insufficient to meet the growing demand, making prevention the most effective way to reduce the burden of such injuries.
The discussion focused on preventing burns caused by fires, hot water, gas heaters, cylinders, pressure cookers and other common household and industrial hazards.
Representatives from the medical, academic and industrial sectors attended the event. Faculty members, trainee doctors, senior medical professionals, nurses and a large number of medical students also participated.
BPSC Director Prof Tahmeedullah urged the government to establish a provincial burn injury registry and launch a comprehensive burn prevention programme.
He said an estimated 1.5 million people suffered burn injuries across the country every year, with around 10pc of cases being life-threatening and requiring hospitalisation.
He added that 15 to 20pc of burn victims suffered permanent disabilities and required multiple surgical procedures and prolonged rehabilitation. Chairman of the Board of Governors of HMC and Khyber Girls Medical College, Prof Noorul Eman, assured full support for expanding public awareness campaigns and improving treatment facilities for burn patients.
He said everyone had a responsibility to promote safety measures to protect healthcare workers and employees at workplaces.
Officials from the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) also attended the symposium and highlighted safety precautions to minimise risks associated with industrial activities.
The Health Department had also nominated doctors, nurses and first responders from District Headquarters (DHQ) hospitals in Orakzai, Hangu, Buner, Bajaur, Abbottabad, Swabi, Tank and Upper Kohistan (Dasu) to enhance their capacity to respond to burn emergencies.
During a question-and-answer session, participants raised concerns about domestic accidents, including scalds caused by hot water, cooking stove-related incidents and gas leaks, as well as industrial hazards such as severe electric shocks, short circuits and chemical burns.
Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2026
