Burns admissions to Port Moresby General Hospital 1978-1984.

A retrospective survey of 169 burns cases admitted to Port Moresby General Hospital was conducted for the period 1978 to 1984. A third of the patients were young children. Hot-water burns were the commonest type of injury, accounting for 43%. This was followed by accidental falls into a fire and suicidal kerosene burns, which accounted for 28% and 13% respectively. Post-burn contractures were the commonest long-term complications. Prevention of burns is theoretically very attractive but hard to achieve in rural and squatter populations who rely almost entirely on open fires for cooking and heating. Burns awareness campaigns by all government and community groups stressing the dangers of open fires and leaving children unattended would no doubt take a long time but might ultimately produce tangible results.