India is the only country in the world where burns from fire are classified amongst the top fifteen leading causes of death. Alarmingly high mortality rates for young, married women due to fire burns, have become a contentious medical problem. Realizing this, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has established a Task Force with a mission “to augment and coordinate the efforts of its members to help improve the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients with burn injuries in India.”

You can read about the project in the local media here

 
The Task Force recently visited several cities in India to survey the problem and produce a need assessment. One of the projects the Task Force has decided to undertake was the establishment of a model Burn Center for the entire nation at L.G. Hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujurat.

Why in Ahmedabad?

Ahmedabad is one of India’s sprawling metropolises, with a population of over 3.5 million people, and an abundant array of industries. Ahmedabad has a very diverse population, with people of all religions and socioeconomic standing. Although the incidence of burn related injury in this city is very high, there exists no structured modern burn center available to all sections of the community.

Why at L.G. Hospital, Maninagar, Ahmedabad?(click here for photo of site)

L.G. Hospital is a 450 bed teaching general hospital, located in the industrial sector of Ahmedabad, primarily serving patients of low socioeconomic standing. It is attached to NHL Municipal Medical College and Seth K.M. School of Postgraduate Medicine and Research. It treats patients coming from all of southern Ahmedabad, as well as adjacent rural areas, a population that comprises of close to 2 million people.

The hospital receives more than 200 major burn cases each year, and boasts a dedicated medical staff with affiliation with the medical college, as well as a postgraduate training program and modern medical infrastructure. This provides a great opportunity for the development of a state of the art Model Burn Center. The AAPI Task Force will provide technical help and expertise in establishing this center, in addition to continued teaching and training of the staff by visiting faculty from the United States.