Over 40 cases of burns across city, four referred to Delhi

Over 40 people were rushed to hospitals across the city with burn injuries on Diwali, district health department officials said on Monday. Four people suffered over 30% burns and were referred to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, sources said.

Over 40 people were rushed to hospitals across the city with burn injuries on Diwali, district health department officials said on Monday. Four people suffered over 30% burns and were referred to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, sources said.

Fortis Hospital treated 12 cases. (Parveen Kumar/HT File)

At the state-run civil hospital in Gurgaon’s Civil Lines, which is the only hospital in the city to have a dedicated burns’ ward, a team of doctors and nurses was put on a 24-hour rotational shift on Sunday to attend to patients with burns.

The burns’ ward is equipped with six beds and is said to be capable of treating adults with up to 30% burns and children with up to 20% burns.

A total of nine burns cases were brought to the hospital on Sunday. The patients, between the ages of 16 years and 25 years, were all men. None of them required admission.

“All the cases were of people suffering injuries on their hands and faces while burning firecrackers. They were administered first-aid and then discharged on the spot. In comparison to previous years, there was a significant drop in patients,” said Dr Sanjay Narula, senior medical officer at the civil hospital and in-charge of the burns’ ward.

Officials at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Sector 29, said that they received 12 cases of burns. “Some cases with over 30% burns were referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.” However, following the district health department orders, hospital officials refused to reveal the exact number of patients who were referred.

The city also lacks a specialised plastic surgeon to handle cases with over 30% burns and conduct reconstructive procedures in such cases. Hence, serious cases are referred to hospitals in Delhi.

Officials at Medanta-the Medicity in Sector 38 said they did not receive a single case of ‘burn-related injury’. However, Paras Hospital in Sushant Lok 1 did report some cases.

“Eight minor cases of burns were treated and the patients were discharged after administering first aid,” Dr Imitiyaz Gani, Head of Emergency, Paras Hospital said.