India faces critical shortage of skin donors amid rising burn cases -Governance Now

India faces critical shortage of skin donors amid rising burn cases

70 lakh burn cases annually put thousands of lives at risk

Geetanjali Minhas | April 24, 2026 | Mumbai

#Organ Donation #Healthcare

Dr Sunil Keswani and burn survivor Viraj Thakoor at the awareness meet

India reports nearly 70 lakh burn injury cases every year, resulting in approximately 1.4 lakh deaths annually. Experts estimate that up to 50% of these lives could be saved with adequate access to skin donations.

A significant concern is that around 70% of burn victims fall within the 15-35 age group, the most economically productive segment of the population. Women and children remain disproportionately affected, accounting for nearly 80% of cases, with kitchen-related accidents responsible for the majority of injuries.

Severe burn cases require immediate access to cadaveric skin (allografts), which can only be provided through skin banks. These grafts are often the difference between life and death for critically injured patients.Without adequate skin banks, survival chances drop drastically. While India initiated skin banking in 2002, the country currently has only 34 skin banks, far from sufficient for its population needs.

The National Burns Centre has raised serious concerns about the acute shortage of skin donations nationwide.

Speaking at an awareness drive, Dr. Sunil Keswani, director and plastic surgeon at the centre, said, “It is likely that only 1 in 10 people is aware of the option to donate skin. This lack of awareness means only a fraction of burn patients receive life-saving grafts.”

In Mumbai alone, skin banks receive just 25% of the required donations each month, highlighting a critical gap between demand and supply.

Limited awareness remains the biggest barrier to skin donation in India. Many people are unaware that:

* Skin must be donated within 6 hours of death

* The procedure involves no bleeding or disfigurement

* Only superficial layers are harvested from the legs, thighs, and back

* The process takes just 45 minutes

* No matching is required

* Timely access to skin grafts during the critical treatment window significantly reduces complications, mortality, and long-term disability, while also easing the emotional and financial burden on families.

Burn survivor Viraj Thakoor, treated at the National Burns Centre, said, “A workplace accident left me with 43% burns, and my survival depended on timely treatment. Skin donation saved my life. I urge more people to pledge skin donation-it can mean the difference between life and death.”

“Expanding the network of skin banks and increasing public awareness are critical to saving lives. With greater participation in skin donation, thousands of burn victims across India could receive timely treatment and a second chance at life. Skin donation is simple, dignified, and life-saving and awareness can turn silent potential into real impact,” added Dr Keswani.

The awareness initiative was supported by Rotary Club of Bombay North, Rotary Club of Deonar, Zonal Transplant Co-ordination Centre, Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation and included Sumati Group, Sunday Friends, Manavta Charitable Foundation, and the Federation of Body and Organ Donation.

Comments

Other News

`Focus on infra, reforms, digital connectivity has created strong foundation for growth`

In a step towards the operationalisation of the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA), union minister of commerce & industry Piyush Goyal launched the BHAVYA Portal on Monday in New Delhi. Addressing the gathering, Goyal said that the BHAVYA scheme will adopt a competit

Govt, RBI announce major reforms to attract FPI

The finance ministry on Friday announced a series of measures aimed at enhancing the ease of investment for individual Persons Resident Outside India (PROIs) and Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), and to attract stable long-term foreign capital flows. Building on the recent in

Lessons in climate adaption from world’s largest inhabited river island

Majuli Island, perched between the Brahmaputra River to the south and east, the Subansiri River to the west, and a branch of the Brahmaputra to the north, has been severely affected by recurrent flooding and intense riverbank erosion. Despite its global importance in acquiring UNESCO tentative status for

Careless whispers and the impossible trinity

Time can never mend, the careless whispers of … As the RBI marches ahead, for the upcoming monetary policy meeting this June, whispers from the corridors echo around several policy options to defend the rupee – by deploying forex reserves, raising in

Bullet Train Project: Third mountain tunnel breakthrough achieved

A major engineering milestone has been achieved in the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project with the successful breakthrough of the third mountain tunnel (MT-07) at Ambesari village in Dahanu Taluka of Palghar district, Maharashtra. With this achievement, three mountain

Supreme Court gets five new judges

Five new judges were appointed to the Supreme Court of India on Monday. "Vide Notifications of even number dated 01.06.2026, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the Hon’ble President of India is pleased to appoint (i) Shri