Mumbai, Apr 23 (PTI) The National Burns Centre (NBC) on Thursday flagged a significant gap in skin donations in the country in terms of supply and demand, noting that current collections in Mumbai alone fall way short of the monthly requirement of 150 grafts.
Talking to reporters here, Navi Mumbai-based NBC’s director and plastic surgeon Dr Sunil Keswani noted that lack of awareness about skin donations is a critical cause of this gap.
“There is a huge shortage of skin in the country (needed for transplantation on burn patients). In Mumbai itself, we need skin for 150 people every month who suffer from burn injuries. However, we only get skin donations from 30 people,” he informed.
Keswani said skin banks in Mumbai receive only 25 per cent of the required donations each month.
“We have 35 skin banks across the country equipped with imported equipment to store and harvest skin, of which four are in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. These 35 skin banks are mainly concentrated in the south and the west of the country. There are no skin banks in the northeast,” he added.
Around 70 per cent of burn patients are in the 15-35 year age group and lack of access to skin transplantation leads to severe economic and emotional strain on survivors as well as their families, the NBC director maintained.
With timely access to skin grafts, burn patients can be rehabilitated in their most critical window of care, significantly reducing risks of complications and mortality, the plastic surgeon explained.
“Skin can be donated within 6 hours of death or 12 hours if the body is well refrigerated. A person must be registered with a local skin bank to be eligible for skin donation post-death,” he said.
Keswani said 70 per cent of the burn cases are due to industrial hazards and only 1 in 10 people knows about the process of skin donation.
“This lack of awareness translates into only a fraction of burn survivors receiving skin transplants each year, which is very critical,” he emphasised.
The NBC, based in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, is focused on spreading awareness about skin donation, Keswani maintained.
“As an institute dedicated to improving the lives of burn survivors, year on year, we have been conducting nearly 300 programmes to deepen awareness and encourage more donor sign-ups,” he said.
The NBC has a dedicated helpline (022-27793333) to provide necessary information and guidance to people regarding skin donation, Keswani added. PTI SM RSY
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