Bangladesh’s first burn institute starts journey

Bangladesh’s first burn and plastic surgery institute has started its journey with a promise to offer world-class treatment to burn patients. 

The 500-bed Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery – the world’s largest facility designed for this purpose – will also train physicians and nurses to further enhance their professional skills.

Health Minister Zahid Malek on Thursday partially inaugurated the 18-storey institute, which is treating patients referred for plastic surgery for the time. The outdoor unit of the institute will open next week, while the indoor unit will start operation from next month.

According to physicians’ data, around six lakh people suffer burn injuries annually for various reasons. However, there are only 80 doctors trying to fulfil the requirement of at least 1,500 plastic surgeons in all medical colleges across the country.

The institute is expected to help mitigate the crisis of plastic surgeons.

Dr Samanta Lal Sen, convener of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, told The Business Standard: “It is not just a hospital, there are other facilities providing education, research and training.”

“Apart from training doctors, the institute will train nurses and paramedics. After getting their degrees, they will provide healthcare to every corner of the country. From now on, burn patients will not have to go abroad for better treatment, instead, patients from other countries will come here.”

The institute’s management system has state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Different facilities of the building will be controlled through a management software.

All kinds of gadgets, including computers and tabs, will be connected to the hospital’s central network and software to provide update to the hospital management on patients when necessary.

For example, it will be possible to immediately provide CT scan report or any other information to physicians in the operating theatre. Patients will no longer have to bring their medical reports every time they visit their doctors, and their information will be uploaded to the hospital’s server database.

There are three blocks in the institute – a burn unit, a plastic surgery unit and an academic wing. The burn unit has a skin bank, a rehabilitation centre, a medicine centre and other burn treatment related services.

In the plastic surgery block, there are 10 departments, including plastic surgery, reconstructive surgery, micro surgery, hand and breast surgery, and cosmetic surgery.

The institute has 22 beds in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). For ensuring improved treatment, it also has a high efficiency unit having 22 beds and an ultramodern post-operative ward.

Besides, there is helipad facility for emergency patients.

On October 24, 2018, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the burn and plastic surgery institute constructed at a cost of Tk522 crore. The construction work began on April 6, 2016.