In December, 58 people were treated for this type of burns at the San Vicente Fundación Hospital in Medellín
Burns caused by hot liquids continue to be the main reason for attention in the burn unit in Antioquia and keep the specialized service in the department saturated.
According to the balance sheet of the San Vicente Fundación Hospital, so far in December, 133 patients with burns have been treated, of which 44% correspond to injuries from hot liquids and 16% to gunpowder.
In total, 58 people have been treated during December for burns caused by hot liquids in this institution, which is a reference center for highly complex cases in Antioquia and other regions of the country. This situation has generated constant pressure on the installed capacity of the service.
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The leader of the burn unit at the San Vicente Fundación Hospital, Hidalgo Vélez Sierra, explained that “we have treated 133 patients burned for different reasons, the most prevalent being hot liquids with 44%. Those burned by gunpowder represent 16%”, figures that reflect the magnitude of the problem in the middle of the holiday season.
Although all cases require specialized care, health authorities indicated that in 2025 there has been a decrease compared to the previous year in burns from hot liquids, especially in minors.
The Secretary of Health and Social Inclusion of Antioquia, Marta Cecilia Ramírez Orrego, attributed this reduction to the preventive strategies implemented.
“Fortunately, due to the educational campaigns and the sanctions imposed on parents, with very strong activity from the ICBF, liquid burns have decreased. However, during the night of the candles we did have an impact on children,” said the official.
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Despite this partial reduction, the outlook remains complex. Currently, the occupancy of the burn units for adults and children in Antioquia is at 100%, which limits the capacity to respond to new emergencies, especially during the end-of-year festivities.
From the health sector it was reported that, given this high demand, there is a dynamic expansion modality, which allows capacity to be expanded by up to 150%, in order to receive patients with highly complex burns that require immediate attention.
The authorities reiterated the call for prevention, especially in the handling of hot liquids in homes, warning that this type of accident continues to be the main cause of serious burns in the department and one of those that puts the most pressure on the specialized hospital network.
By: Tatiana Balvin Rodriguez
Source: Integrated Information System
