Enhancing Burn and Inhalation Injury Triage: Addressing Resource Gaps in India

A national burn-care survey in India identified critical resource gaps that undermine emergency triage and outcomes.

The cross-sectional assessment of public, private and tertiary facilities found substantial proportions lacking dedicated ICU beds and trained burn staff. Uneven ICU availability and widespread training shortfalls limit early airway monitoring and resuscitation for inhalation and severe burns, translating directly into delays in definitive care.

Fewer dedicated burn resources and lower specialist coverage outside government tertiary centers were associated with reduced intensive monitoring and constrained operative throughput. Reported training gaps were consistent across facility types, and non-tertiary centers were disproportionately affected.

Initial care by traditional healers commonly delays hospital presentation and referral, prolonging time-to-definitive-care. These delays increase infection risk, deepen tissue necrosis, and permit missed or progressive airway compromise in patients with inhalation exposure.

Tertiary centers mitigate harm once patients arrive; specialist multidisciplinary teams, ICU-based resuscitation, routine skin grafting pathways and reconstructive services reduce morbidity from large TBSA burns. Still, referral timing, transport logistics and tertiary capacity limits create a persistent gap between front-line EDs and definitive care. Standardized referral thresholds and rapid transfer protocols can narrow that gap.