Burns in Malawi

To describe burns seen at the largest hospital in Malawi.

In a prospective study conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi, a series of twelve accidental burns was analysed over a four-week period.

Hot water was the commonest source of burns (6 out of 12). Open-fire and petroleum lamp accidents were the commonest cause of burns among epileptic patients. Males were affected more than females (male:female ratio = 8:4). Most burns were superficial (11 out of 12). One patient had deep burns requiring grafting. All patients were treated with topical silver sulphadiazine and a combination antibiotic regime. Children aged six yr or under were a major subgroup at risk of suffering burns (7 out of 12) and only one patient was aged over 30 yr. Lack of anti-epileptic medication resulted in potentially avoidable burns in four epileptic patients.

There is a need for cheap preventive health promotion measures as well as the provision of simple resources as most burns encountered can be managed effectively by simple measures.