21 with firecracker injuries, mostly children, seek treatment at PGIMER's Advanced Eye Centre

Chandigarh, Nov 1 (PTI) Twenty-one people, mostly children, reported to an advanced eye care centre for burn injuries received in accidents caused while bursting Diwali firecrackers.

Six of them needed surgery and all have been operated upon, a statement issued by Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh said here on Friday.

Twelve of the 21 patients that came to PGIMER's Advanced Eye Centre with burn injuries in the past 48 hours were children, the statement said.

PGIMER's Trauma Centre handled five more burn cases related to Diwali celebrations on Thursday. Among these, an 18-month-old boy suffered 30 per cent burns on his right side, and a 16-year-old girl sustained 50-55 per cent burns, predominantly on her upper body, it said.

Both are now stable and are now in the burn ICU for further treatment, while the other three cases are under care at the Advanced Trauma Centre OPD and being managed accordingly for the injuries suffered, it said.

Among the patients who were treated at the eye centre, eight were from Chandigarh and others were from Punjab, Haryana Himachal Pradesh, UP and Rajasthan.

Twelve of the injured were bystanders, while the rest were bursting crackers themselves, the PGIMER said.

According to the statement, PGIMER's Advanced Eye Centre, in anticipation of Diwali-related injuries, activated special emergency protocols, ensuring immediate treatment for firecracker injury cases which were reported between October 30 till November 2.

The eye centre had round-the-clock staffing of doctors, nurses, and allied personnel to treat those with burn injuries, it said.

Two separate teams were formed to ensure that patients were attended to immediately: one team comprising of retina, cornea, glaucoma and oculoplasty subspecialities was posted to attend to patients with injuries as soon as they reached the emergency of the Advanced Eye Centre. Patients requiring surgery were immediately transferred to the surgical team who ensured that immediate care is provided to them.

Diwali was celebrated across the country on Thursday. In Chandigarh, the twin capital of Punjab and Haryana, only green crackers were allowed between 8 pm and 10 pm on Thursday. However, in many parts of the city, people continued to burst crackers well past the 10 pm limit on Thursday and Friday as well. PTI SUN SKY SKY