Firecracker injuries spike in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A man from Kismatpur, anxiously awaited his six-year-old daughter’s recovery in the in-patient ward at Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital on Friday morning. His daughter had been admitted after a Diwali firecracker injured her right eye. The family had purchased firecrackers from a local shop, and during the celebrations, a fragment struck her eye.

Her’s was not an isolated case. Many children and adults, of varying ages, were seen at the hospital with reddened, blistered eyes following cracker-related injuries. "The hospital received 48 cases between 8 am on Thursday and 9 am of Friday. Eight required admission," said Dr Modini P., superintendent of Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital.

"Thankfully, none of the cases involve severe vision loss. Two children with minor injuries are being monitored in the ward," she added.

The superintendent and the resident medical officer assured that follow-ups would be conducted for both admitted patients and those treated as outpatients.

Other hospitals reported similar cases. Gandhi Hospital treated seven patients, between the ages 13 and 27, with burns, primarily on hands and legs. A 16-year-old boy with a burn injury on his stomach required admission. Osmania Hospital treated nine patients with minor injuries, all of whom were discharged, according to Superintendent Dr Rakesh Sahay.

This year’s Diwali saw a reduction in such incidents compared to the previous year, when Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital alone had received nearly 75 cases.