Action urged as burn cases surge among children under 10

Islamabad: Burn specialist Prof Tariq Iqbal has raised the alarm over a surge in burn incidence in the country, especially during the winter months.

"Burn injuries increase three to four times in winter due to the increased use of boiling water and heaters, with children under 10 years of age accounting for around two-thirds of the cases," Prof Tariq told 'The News'.

He declared most cases preventable and advocated for a national push toward awareness and safety measures. Prof Tariq, architect of a modern burns care centre at PIMS and current vice-chancellor of the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University Islamabad, noted that the common causes were household accidents, which included kitchen splashes, hot water scalds, and immersion burns.

He said grimly that a single cup of hot tea could leave a child with burns covering 30 percent of the body—an injury that could be life-threatening if not treated promptly. "Negligence is the root cause of most incidents," he said.

The burn care expert cited examples of common situations that turn into tragedy—children pulling on hot pots, unsafe handling of hot beverages, and access to heated objects without supervision.

"Simple precautions, like keeping hot items out of reach, can prevent burns and deaths," he said, urging parents to adopt a safety-first approach. According to Prof Tariq, risks are not confined to children alone. Young women, especially those working in the kitchen or who use heaters to dry off after taking a shower, are highly exposed to flame burn risks.

"Young women, who wear loose clothes, suffer the most flame burns when their loose garments catch fire," he said, recommending aprons and the tying up of garments as solutions. With gas shortages common in winter, the burn specialist said gas heaters and cylinders, and unchecked leaks had caused many disasters. He said gas appliances should be turned off before bedtime, main valves secured, and cylinders kept outside homes.

"In some cases, whole families were lost to gas explosions—accidents that are entirely preventable with little care," he said. In Prof Tariq's opinion, it's not just a skin injury; it cuts deep. "Even after recovery, the scars remain—etched not just on the body, but on the soul."

The specialist emphasised the significance of public awareness campaigns to prevent and control burn cases. He insisted that many countries recorded dramatic reduction in burn cases due to proactive safety measures, so Pakistan should follow suit.

"Negligence accounts for 70-75 percent of burn cases. By adopting preventive habits, we can dramatically reduce these huge numbers," he said, recommending prevention as the best cure. Prof Tariq called for collective efforts to protect lives and minimise the devastating impact of preventable burns.