NEW DELHI: With hospitals preparing for a possible rise in firecracker-related injuries during Diwali, Safdarjung hospital has strengthened its emergency arrangements by upgrading its Burn Casualty to nine beds and keeping 20 beds vacant in the Burn Ward to accommodate a possible surge in patients.
Additional beds will also be made available in the Plastic Surgery Ward in case of an emergency, the hospital said.
All available doctors, including junior and senior residents and faculty members, will remain on duty throughout the three-day Diwali period, with no leave permitted. Specialists from General Surgery, Ophthalmology, Anaesthesia and Orthopaedics will also be available to provide support during emergencies.
Additional nursing and support staff, security personnel, nursing attendants, patient trolleys, wheelchairs and ambulances have been arranged to facilitate patient movement and emergency response.
The hospital has also planned public awareness programmes on firecracker safety, burn prevention and first aid. In its safety advisory, it has urged people to maintain a safe distance while lighting firecrackers, ensure children are supervised by adults and wear cotton clothes during celebrations. It has also advised keeping water or a fire extinguisher nearby while handling fireworks.
For burn injuries, the hospital has recommended cooling the affected area under clean running water for 20 minutes and seeking immediate medical attention. It has cautioned against applying ice, toothpaste, oil or other home remedies to burns.
Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital currently has a 26-bed burn unit, while Lok Nayak Hospital has a 30-bed unit with ICU and ward facilities.
Last year, more than 250 people suffered burn injuries in Delhi on Diwali, with hospitals across the city reporting a surge in cases, mostly caused by firecrackers. Safdarjung Hospital, which has the country's largest burn unit, recorded the highest number of cases at 129.
AIIMS reported 55 burn cases, followed by Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital with 37, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital with 16 and Lok Nayak Hospital with 15.
