Eleven monitors, bed sheets and medicines, at the cost of US$22,000, were donated to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre by the India community in Ghana, yesterday.

According to the India Deputy High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Agnesh Kumar, the community, during last year's donation, made a promise to provide monitors and other equipment in support of the centre.

He noted that the donation would go a long way to assist the health personnel to deliver quality treatment to patients.

The Director of the centre, Dr. Opoku Oware Ampomah, thanked the community for the support, and called other benevolent society organisations to come into the aid of the centre.

Dr. Opuku indicated that the centre need a facelift, since the hospital was about to construct an Intensive Care Unit, which would be one of it kind in West Africa.

The Director urged the media to place more emphasis on burns prevention methods, as it is done to malaria and other diseases. "Burns are a condition that doesn't attract attention. Meanwhile, it kills over 3,000 people over the world."

He stated that last year alone, the centre admitted about 784 cases, of which some could not pay for their treatment. "Burns treatment is very expensive, and those who suffer from burns are the poor and vulnerable in society."

He further urged for education on gas and other petrochemical substances, since it contributed to major burns cases.