Medical colleges to have separate burn units

"Burn patients require special attention and the incidents of burns are also on the rise. We are considering allocating more funds for the management of burn patients," he said at a seminar at the newly built burn unit at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).

According to DMCH records, at least 10 to 15 burn patients referred by various district hospitals are admitted to the hospital a day. The 50-bed burn unit at DMCH is the only place where comprehensive management and treatment for burn injuries is available.

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The country has only eight qualified surgeons who have knowledge on appropriate treatment of burns, including acid burns. There is no qualified nurse capable of nursing burn patients.

The seminar on 'Mutual cooperation between Faculty of Medicine, Dhaka University, and Medical Faculty of Bologna University, Italy' was organised to review the performance of the DMCH Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit established in early 2004 and also to acknowledge the charity mission and cooperation of Interplast, a 14-member Italian team of plastic surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses, who are currently performing re-constructive surgeries on selected burn patients as part of technology transfer under medical education.

Prof MA Hadi, vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and president of Bangladesh Medical Association, said, "We require more trained nurses. The country has about 22,000 nurses whereas at least 100,000 trained nurses are needed in the health sector. Private sector can also explore and invest in such development programmes."

Dr Samanta Lal Sen, project director of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit, said, "Our dream is to have a separate building for management of burn patients. We are striving to produce teams of surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and technicians so that comprehensive management and treatment of burns are available in all major cities."

Italian plastic surgeon Paolo Morselli, founder and president of Interplast, Prof Nicolo Scruderi of University of Rome, Professor Carlo Cavina of Bologna University and Brig. Gen. Nazmul Huda, director of DMCH, also spoke.

Interplast has been visiting Bangladesh on charity missions since 1988. The team in cooperation with the local young surgeons has performed surgeries on more than 80 burn patients and congenitally deformed faces in last ten days.

The officials of the burn unit also acknowledged great contributions and support in improving plastic surgeries by Professor Ronald William Hiles of the United Kingdom.

Professor Hiles will perform surgeries at the hospital until the end of March.