Burns are a leading cause of unnatural deaths among children under 10 years old.
For this reason, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, ChildSafe South Africa and the Children’s Hospital Trust joined hands to raise awareness about National Burns Awareness Week.
They joined the global community in highlighting the devastating impact of burns on children.
Red Cross admission statistics show an increase between June, July and August, suggesting that injuries occur more frequently in winter due to practices such as the use of paraffin stoves, candles and fires.
Burn injuries happen in an instant and can have a life-long physical, emotional, and financial impact, not only on the patient but on their families and communities.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) deems burns as a leading cause of death among children worldwide, with an estimated 180 000 adult and paediatric deaths occurring annually.
About 96% of burn-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries and the rate of child deaths from burn-related incidents is more than seven times higher in low and middle-income countries.
Underestimate
The CEO of the Children’s Hospital Trust Chantel Cooper said: “Children from remote areas move from multiple health facilities with some having extended waiting time on ambulances before accessing the specialised care they urgently require at the Red Cross.”
This not only delays crucial treatment, heightening infection risks and prolonging recovery periods, Cooper pointed out, but also places undue strain on families already grappling with immense challenges.
Last year, 722 patients were admitted to the burns unit for inpatient care and 1 051 new patients were seen at the outpatient clinic.
Patients are treated for a range of burns from hot liquids, electrical and flame burns to chemical burns and hot water, which is the most common type among referral patients.
Dr Tome Mendes, Surgical Consultant of the burns unit at the Red Cross, noted that “not all burns require admission to a medical facility, but all require the appropriate wound care, as unattended wounds can lead to complications such as poor healing or infection which may lead to prolonged treatment”.
Approximately 82% of children referred to Red Cross are treated for hot liquid burns, otherwise known as scalds.
Prevention
While world-class treatment is available, prevention is vital.
Zaitoon Rabaney, Executive Director at ChildSafe, a non-profit organisation (NPO) committed to injury prevention in children, urges parents, caregivers and communities “to take simple yet effective precautions to prevent burns and ensure prompt medical attention when accidents occur, reinforce the risk and speak to children about the dangers of candles, matches, kettles, and hot bath water”.
The Children’s Hospital Trust, a non-profit organisation that raises funds to support the advancement of child healthcare across the Western Cape and the Continent, works closely with the Red Cross and the thousands of patients who are treated, annually.
The burns service at Red Cross is one of the busiest services in the hospital, with children and their families travelling long distances to get to the hospital.
The Trust is raising funds to spread the burns services care in the greater Western Cape to ensure that all children get access to high-quality paediatric healthcare service closer to their homes.
“With the Burns Project we want to strengthen burns services for children in the Western Cape to ensure earlier intervention, improve overall outcomes and reduce the burden on families who do not reside near Cape Town,” Cooper concluded.
In keeping with findings from other low and middle-income countries, South Africa faces a disproportionately high burden of burns among children.
Previous South African estimates suggest that every year, 1 in 1 666 children will be burnt per year (average annual rate of 6/100 000 child-years).
However, given the burden of cases treated at a local level, it is suspected that this is an underestimation.
In South Africa, it has been found that 94% of patients will receive treatment and are cared for by provincial facilities.
Red Cross is the leading tertiary referral centre for Paediatric Burns in the Western Cape and receives referrals from across Africa, while Tygerberg Hospital treats adult burns.
Red Cross remains the only referral centre offering advanced clinical care.
