Desun Hospital launches the hospital-anchored programme offering free psychological counselling, physiotherapy, nutrition guidance and scar care, providing long-term support to burn survivors beyond hospital discharge
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 1: Desun Hospital launched Phoenix Burn Support Group, an ongoing initiative dedicated to supporting burn survivors and their families beyond hospital discharge, followed by the Burn Survivors’ Meet, which brought together survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals. Founded by Dr. Mohit Kharbanda, Senior Director, Internal Medicine & Critical Care, Desun Hospital, Phoenix is envisioned as Kolkata’s first hospital-anchored burn survivor support group.
Burn injury remains a significant public health burden in India. An estimated 23,000 fire-related deaths occur in the country each year — around one-fifth of the global total — while roughly 1.5 million healthy years of life (DALYs) are lost annually to fire-related injuries. Women aged 15 to 34 face a mortality risk up to four times higher than their male peers in the same age group.
The programme brought together burn survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals, providing survivors an opportunity to share their experiences, connect with others who have faced similar challenges and build a network of mutual support. The gathering included survivors from different backgrounds, including a 12-year-old child survivor.
Burn injuries can present challenges extending beyond physical healing, including emotional, psychological, social and functional difficulties. Phoenix aims to address these needs through free, structured and long-term support beyond the critical treatment phase.
The support group is built around four key pillars: psychological support through counselling and peer support; physical rehabilitation through physiotherapy, splinting and mobility guidance; dietary support through personalised nutrition counselling; and scar and cosmetic care, including scar management and referrals for reconstructive care.
Dr. Mohit Kharbanda, Senior Director, Internal Medicine & Critical Care, Desun Hospital and Founder, Phoenix Burn Support Group, said, “Every year, my team and I fight to save patients with severe burns in the ICU. We are winning that fight more often than we used to. But around the day of discharge, the story most people hear ends — and the story our patients actually live begins. Phoenix exists because surviving a burn is only the first chapter. What comes after deserves just as much care.”
Phoenix is open to burn survivors and their families regardless of where they were originally treated, with members able to enrol at discharge or at any point thereafter. The programme will conduct monthly peer support circles and quarterly specialist clinics at Desun Hospital and encourage survivors further along in their recovery to mentor those beginning their own journey.
Sajal Dutta, Chairman and Managing Director, Desun Hospital, said, “A burn injury does not end when the wounds heal. The journey towards recovery can be long and challenging, affecting a survivor’s physical health, emotional well-being, confidence and ability to reintegrate into everyday life. Through Phoenix, we want survivors and their families to know that they are not alone. By bringing together medical experts, caregivers and survivors, we hope to provide continuous guidance, compassion and support at every stage of their journey.”
Through the initiative, Desun Hospital aims to transform the burn recovery journey from one of isolation to empowerment, helping survivors regain confidence, independence and a renewed sense of purpose. The Burn Survivors’ Support Group is envisioned as a long-term community of care, ensuring continued guidance, emotional support and access to relevant expertise even after survivors leave the hospital.
The Burn Survivors’ Meet thus marked the beginning of a continuing support network centred on care, empathy, rehabilitation, resilience and community, reinforcing the importance of supporting burn survivors not only during critical treatment but throughout their journey towards recovery and reintegration.
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