Twin Fire Tragedies Expose Urgent Need For Skin Bank
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Nagpur: Two major burn-related tragedies in the Nagpur region within a week — the devastating Mahal house fire and the Kamptee blast — once again exposed the dire gap in burn care infrastructure in Central India.
Patients from the Mahal fire incident are currently admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), which remains the region's only tertiary care centre in a govt set-up for burn victims.
Yet, the proposal for a modern skin bank, submitted in April this year following chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's directive, still lies pending with the authorities. On April 14, after personally meeting Umred blast victims at GMCH, CM Fadnavis called the lack of a skin bank in Nagpur "a failure we must correct" and ordered immediate action to establish one.
He also instructed the Nagpur collector to initiate the process.
GMCH responded by preparing two detailed proposals — an Rs8 crore plan under DPDC and a comprehensive Rs50 crore plan under DMER. However, three months later, no sanction was granted.
A doctor here, requesting anonymity, said, "We are treating these patients with whatever resources we have. If we had an operational skin bank, the chances of survival, infection control, and recovery would be significantly better for some of them."
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The city's only skin bank, started in 2014 at Orange City Hospital, was among the earliest in India. It shut down in 2019 during the pandemic due to high maintenance costs and poor donor response. Its equipment was transferred to GMCH, but the facility has remained non-functional ever since.
Dr Surendra Patil, head of plastic surgery at GMCH, earlier said, "We are hopeful the skin bank will be revived. Our team is ready, but we need quick approvals."
GMCH dean Dr Raj Gajbhiye also confirmed in April that both proposals are finalised and ready to move — yet nothing has moved.
Skin donation is as vital as organ donation for burn patients. Experts point out that cadaveric skin grafts act as life-saving biological covers for patients who suffer burns over 40% or more of their body. Without such grafts, chances of infection, fluid loss, and mortality shoot up drastically.
BOX
Why a Skin Bank Matters
What It Does: Preserves skin from deceased donors to be used for burn and trauma victims
How It Works: Skin harvested within 6 hours of death, preserved in freezers (-20°C to -80°C), used as temporary grafts for burn patients
Who Can Donate: Any deceased person (18–80 years), no infections or skin diseases, consent from family essential
Benefits: Prevents infection, reduces pain and fluid loss, boosts recovery, saves lives in large burns
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