Hospitals in Delhi reported a sharp increase in burn injuries during the Diwali festivities, with over 280 cases primarily attributable to firecrackers. With 117 people treated on Diwali alone, officials reported that Safdarjung Hospital, which has the nation’s largest burn unit, had the most instances. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and LNJP Hospital, two more prestigious institutes, reported 48 and 19 cases, respectively.
Notably, 102 patients with light burns received outpatient treatment out of the recorded injuries, whereas 15 patients with severe burns required hospitalization for additional care. Twenty of the impacted patients were youngsters under the age of twelve, which is concerning. According to hospital officials, firecrackers were the primary cause of injuries, accounting for 86 instances and 31 cases of diya (light) burns. Five patients needed surgery for severe hand injuries from firecrackers, while other patients had severe injuries.
Safdarjung Hospital had already recorded 18 burn cases the day before Diwali, highlighting a worrying pattern in the run-up to the holiday. Between 7 PM on Diwali night and 7 AM on November 1, AIIMS documented burn incidents; 32 out of 48 patients had burns from firecrackers. The seriousness of the injuries was demonstrated by the fact that 19 of these individuals required intensive care and 27 of these instances included significant burns.
This Diwali, eye injuries were a major issue in addition to burns. On October 31, the AIIMS RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences reported 50 eye injuries; on November 1, 30 more cases were reported. This emphasizes how firecrackers have an impact that goes beyond burn injuries.
Delhi has a five-year ban on firecrackers, but infractions were common, which increased the number of burn cases and worsened the city’s air pollution. During the same time period, RML Hospital recorded 44 patients with burn injuries associated to Diwali, the majority of them had hand and facial burns. In contrast, 19 burn cases were treated at LNJP Hospital, the largest institution run by the Delhi government.
Instances where entire families were impacted made matters worse; in one instance, six family members were burned when explosive items ignited in their home. Overall, the data shows a troubling trend of firecracker-related injuries throughout the festival, highlighting the necessity of greater awareness and more stringent enforcement of safety rules during such events.
SOURCE :
THE PRINT
