GMCH likely to have Special Burn Ward

Principal Correspondent :

Though it is a long pending thought of having well-equipped burn ward in Government Medical College and Hospital, the post-Hinganghat incident made Government to take faster decision on it. Dr Sajal Mitra, Dean has met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari who assured all support for the same. Gadkari wrote a letter to Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan who in principle agreed to allot such ward in GMCH. The Hinganghat woman who was set ablaze was treated at Orange City Hospital in one complete 10 bedded Critical Care Unit unoccupied to prevent any infection scare.

This patient is the only admitted patient in said unit. Moreover, she has been additional safeguarded inside an isolation glass cubicle housed inside the 10 bedded CCU with exclusive nursing staff to attend this patient. Four sessions of debridement and burn dressings had been done till date. She was tolerating Ryle’s tube feeds. She continued to be on ventilator support. Considering the treatment provided at Orange City Hospital, the thought evolved that Government hospital too should have the facility.

Dr Mitra when met Gadkari, the Minister immediately swung into action. Probably it would pave way for the creation of burn ward in GMCH. According to expert, this can be brought under National Programme For Prevention and Management of Burn Injuries (NPPMBI). GMCH right now can have two beds with Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with altra modern equipment and other facilities. Creation of burn ward would cost around Rs 6 crore. Dr Sameer Jahagirdar, noted Plastic Surgeon by whose efforts Nagpur could witness introduction of Skin Bank said, “Burn Injury is potentially a big public health problem.

In fact, more people die due to burn injuries than Malaria and Tuberculosis. Burn injury is mostly unrecognized in our country. The cases highlighted mostly during Diwali festivals, bride burning cases and chemical burn injuries due to acid/alkali attacks. No specified treatment facilities for this are available in most parts of India. Most of the burn victims belong to vulnerable group of the society. A large number of burn injury patients require psychological counseling along with physiotherapy. Dedicated burn units are restricted to bigger cities. If such units are developed in large number we could save several persons.” Special burn ward would help in reducing incidence, mortality, morbidity and disability due to burn injuries.