A 3 year prospective audit of burns patients treated at the Western Regional Hospital of Nepal

Abstract

Burns in Nepal cause an estimated 1700 deaths per year and much suffering. We carried out a prospective 3 year audit of 237 burns patients admitted to the Western Regional Hospital in Pokhara. The aims were to assess the profile of burns injuries and what could be achieved in local conditions to guide colleagues in developing countries with limited medical facilities. The majority of burns occurred at home and were largely preventable. 61 per cent of patients were children under 15 years of age. There were more female patients and females had more severe burns. No patients with greater than 40 per cent body surface area burns of any age group survived. Public education on burns prevention is needed but poverty, ignorance and a fatalistic attitude are difficult underlying causes to change.