Nutritional management of the burn patient

Abstract

The incidence of burn injuries is on the increase in Africa due to migration to urban areas and the development of slum areas, but there is a paucity of such data on the African continent. The South African Medical Research Council has indicated that 3.2% of the South African population is burned annually, with 50% of individuals who suffer burns being younger than 20 years. The Red Cross Children’s Hospital admits 650 to 900 children with burn injuries annually.¹