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15-yr-old boy loses hand while bursting crackers in Mohali

By, Chandigarh
Oct 29, 2019 12:45 AM IST

The right hand of a 15-year-old boy had to be amputated after he received an injury while igniting crackers in Dera Bassi, Mohali, on Diwali. Identified as Vijay, he was rushed to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on Sunday evening.

The right hand of a 15-year-old boy had to be amputated after he received an injury while igniting crackers in Dera Bassi, Mohali, on Diwali.

Identified as Vijay, he was rushed to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on Sunday evening.

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“After due examination, doctors took the decision to amputate his right hand,” said a PGIMER official.

As compared to the previous Diwali, the number of patients who rushed to government hospitals in Chandigarh with burn and eye injuries saw nearly 60% increase this year.

In 2018, hospitals reported 110 injuries, which went up to 173 this Diwali.

Of these, 117 were burn injuries and 56 eye injuries, according to data gathered from different government health facilities.

Fifteen patients came to the Advanced Eye Centre of PGIMER with eye injuries caused by firecrackers. According to doctors, five patients had injuries in both eyes.

“In majority of the cases, the cornea has been damaged and the chances of 100% restoration of vision are low,” said Dr Savleen Kaur of the ophthalmology department.

Dr Kaur said half of the patients were from the tricity and the remaining from areas in adjoining states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Also, 80% of the injured were bystanders and were not involved in lighting the fireworks.

Meanwhile, the institute administration said five patients reported to the Advanced Trauma Centre’s OPD with burn injuries on Diwali. All patients, except one, had 10-20% burns on hands and are stable.

Maximum number of patients with burn injuries were received at Government Multi Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, and its allied civil hospitals in Manimajra, Sector 22 and Sector 45.

The civil hospitals received 104 burn injuries, out of which only one was serious and required admission, besides 27 eye injuries.

“One eye patient was referred to the PGIMER for further treatment,” authorities at GMSH-16 said.

Similarly in Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, 12 patients turned up with eye injuries. Nine of them had minor injuries.

“Two patients have been operated upon while one is under observation,” said GMCH spokesperson Anil Moudgal.

He said eight burn injuries were also reported, with injuries ranging between 5-20%.

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