PESHAWAR: Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre at Hayatabad Medical Complex will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with Afghanistan for provision of treatment to Afghan patients. This was said by Prof Tahmeedullah, director of the centre, at a briefing to health adviser Ihtesham Ali here on Wednesday. He said that the centre not only served patients from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also from northern Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Afghanistan. “We are to sign a memorandum of understanding with Afghanistan for the treatment of burn patients here,” he said. The health adviser visited the centre where he inspected various departments and met with patients, enquired after them and personally checked the condition of people from his constituency. “The burns centre is a valuable gift for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as patients previously had to seek treatment in other parts of the country,” he said. The centre, established in 2018, consists of 120 beds and is equipped with modern facilities including eight operation theatres, four of which are modular. The centre also features an eight-bed ICU and a 10-bed trauma HDU. Specialised training has been provided to the nursing staff for the care of burn patients. Last year, more than 9,000 patients received treatment at the centre. Since 2018, the number of patients has increased by 66 per cent. Outpatient visits (OPD) have also seen a significant rise, with a 242 per cent increase, resulting in 19,391 patient consultations last year. In Pakistan, approximately 1.3 million to 1.5 million burn cases occur annually, with 10 per cent of patients requiring hospital admission. Among these, 15 per cent to 20 per cent suffer disabilities or undergo multiple surgeries. The health adviser was also briefed on human resource challenges faced by the centre, with 103 vacant posts due to specialised nurses seeking employment abroad. However, the institution is planning to launch a post-fellowship diploma in burn surgery through Khyber Medical University, alongside a one-year diploma in plastic surgery for nursing staff. The centre is the only facility in Pakistan offering lymphatic surgeries. All treatments at the centre are provided completely free of charges.