TT has facilities to treat severely burnt patients

The injured men, Wendell Blenman, 36, and Sunil Persad, 30, have been flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami for treatment. Dr Lalla told Sunday Newsday they would be "better managed" there.

He explained that both men had emergency resuscitation when they were first admitted to the A&E Department at St Clair Medical Centre. One patient, who suffered approximately 90 percent burns, was transferred to the medical facility’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he received intensive monitoring and treatment.

The other patient, who had about 70 to 75 percent deep burns, was taken to the operating theatre and had cleaning, debridement of all his burns, decompression of his right forearm and hand and elevation of both limbs.

Dr Lalla explained, "Because of the extensive and severe nature of the burns of both patients, I suggested to the CEO of the National Flour Mills that it would be in the best interest of the patients to have them transferred to the Burns Unit at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where they would be better managed, to which he readily agreed.

"Patients with 90 percent burns have no chances of survival beyond a few days and at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where I have previously referred severely burnt patients, their records are impressive."

He said, contrary to media reports, there are facilities, equipment and medical expertise available in Trinidad and Tobago to manage severe burns. However, with patients who suffer such extensive burns, management at a burns facility abroad is "most appropriate, especially as the company can cover their expenses".

"At this point in our development, we would not be able to manage successfully multiple burns of this nature, but we have been able to manage successfully patients with 60 and 65 percent deep burns, one at a time.