Burn physiotherapy in Sri Lanka

Pranita Sharma a physiotherapist at the Interburns Training Centre, Choithram Hospital and Research Centre, Indore, India has completed a Fellowship at the National Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The ITC usually hosts Fellows from other countries – Afghanistan, Nepal, Tanzania, and Uganda – but Pranita was supported by Interburns to work at the burn unit to learn about the rehabilitation and physiotherapy services they offer.

Pranita said ‘it was an amazing experience. I saw their dressing techniques which are unique in the manner of preventing contracture, minimizing stiffness and promoting movement. Their infection control is very good as there are no bystanders, they minimise the touching of the patient, and discharge the patient asap.

They do early mobilisation which helps the patient to be independent from early on; everyone is concerned about the effective rehabilitation of patient from the very acute stage. Active movements are preferred so they give minimum sedation during the dressings, so that a patient can do the movements on their own. They have a very strict follow-up for up to one year where they monitor the patients on range of motion, scar management and their functional abilities. As a result, the contracture rate is low.

Dr. Chandini and her team are not only saving patients but also preventing and minimizing the rate of suicides. The whole staff was very supportive and informative and I have gone through a very valuable time at National Hospital.’’