Eight victims of the Milestone aircraft crash are in critical condition at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery and will be closely observed for two days.
"Their condition may change every hour. They are in life-threatening states," said Nasir Uddin, director of NIBPS, at a press briefing.
The institute has now introduced new patient categories following recommendations from a visiting Singaporean burn specialist.
According to the revised classification, apart from the eight critical patients, 13 have been placed under the "severe" category, and the remaining 23 are considered to be in an "intermediate" state.
Explaining the basis for the categorisation, Dr Nasir said it is not solely based on the percentage of burn. Instead, several factors are taken into account, including the depth of the burn, respiratory injuries, the patient's overall health condition, and the total burn area.
"Critical patients are those whose condition can worsen or improve within hours. Severe patients have the potential to improve or deteriorate and may be re-categorised accordingly. Intermediate patients are currently stable but still vulnerable to complications, such as infections," he explained.
So far, 11 patients have died from burn injuries sustained in the Milestone incident.
To ensure the best possible care, NIBPS has formed a multidisciplinary team.
Dr Nasir confirmed that the team held a detailed discussion with the visiting Singaporean burn expert, Dr Chong, earlier in the day.
"We sat with the Singaporean physician this morning and discussed the treatment thoroughly. Each patient was reviewed individually. Based on his recommendations, we made slight adjustments such as creating new patient categories and reducing the time between assessments," he said.
Dr Nasir also emphasised that while Bangladesh's burn treatment protocols align with global standards, the institute is open to international support. "Many doctors from India, the USA, China, Turkey, and local experts have expressed their willingness to help. We're not egoistic. If any assistance can improve patient outcomes, we will welcome it."
According to the director, the multidisciplinary team will reassess the condition of each patient every 12 hours to determine the course of treatment.
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