An exciting new partnership in Nepal

We are delighted to have held the first Basic Burn Care (BBC) training in partnership with Nepal’s National Health Training Centre (NHTC) and Interplast (Nepal). This is an exciting step for Interburns as the NHTC is responsible for overseeing health training activities at federal, provincial, and local levels under the Ministry of Health and Population. Interplast Nepal (IPNL) provides plastic and reconstructive surgery treatments to individuals affected by burns, congenital disabilities, and deformities.

Burns are the second most common injury in Nepal, with an estimated 55,000 burns occurring annually. Community surveys carried out in three rural municipalities in 2019 found that burn injuries disproportionately affect poor families, with women and children most at risk of scald and flame burns due to cooking and serving food.

BBC, which includes burn first aid, assessment and initial management, nutrition, psychosocial support, rehabilitation, and referral, was developed and piloted in Nepal. Training from 2019-2021 resulted in greater community awareness, new partnerships between rural and national-level hospitals, and budgetary allocation for prevention work. The project was also notably successful in recording no burns in three rural municipalities during the project period.

22 auxiliary health workers and nurses from all parts of the country attended this recent training; none had previously received any formal training in burns. Participants commented that hands-on demonstration made dressing steps clearer and suggested that ward rounds could also be included to improve knowledge. Greater awareness of when to provide antibiotics, and referral procedures, were also singled out as important take-aways.

We look forward to building this new partnership with NHTC and Interplast (Nepal). We would like to thank all involved and the staff and management of Sushma Koirala Memorial Hospital (SKMH) as well as the fabulous local faculty:

Rojina Shilpakar (Surgeon and Course Coordinator)

Santosh Bikram Bhandari (Surgeon)

Punya Suwal (Nurse/Public Health Lecturer)

Roshan Dangol (Physiotherapist)

Shanta Mahara, Anuja Bista and Anita Bari (Nurses)

Nutritionist Anu Mourya

Training Manager Anil Dhital.