Burn care: symposium proceedings, 1988-1989

ABSTRACT

Burn injuries form a major part of the spectrum of trauma which absorbs so much of the health care resources in developing countries. The Jamaica Burn Programme was established to address this problem, through the collection and analysis of local information about burns and through the education of health and other interested professionals in the prevention and care of burn injuries. The first step was the establishment of a Burn Unit in May 1986 at the 500 bed University Hospital of the West Indies. The following year, a Post Basic Course for nurses was introduced and, to date three groups have graduated from this programme. In June 1988, a three day international symposium was held at the Medical Faculty of the University of the West Indies. One year later, a smaller meeting was held.The papers at both of these covered many relevant areas of burn care and were of excellent quality. The editors consider themselves fortunate to have been able to collect the majority of them for publication. This text is provided for the benefit of those who have the responsibility for promoting burn prevention or for caring for those with burn injuries