Around 500 leading domestic and foreign experts on burns, wound healing and plastic surgery are attending the 9th Asia-Pacific Burn Congress which got underway in Hanoi on April 3.

The biennial congress offers a chance for Vietnamese and international scientists to exchange and update knowledge as well as strengthen their mutual understanding.

During the three-day event themed “Challenges in Total Burn Care”, participants will hear 127 reports, focusing on burn epidemiology, emergency aid for burn disasters, new advances in burn treatment, skin alternative materials, rehabilitation and plastic surgery for burn patients.

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen said that over the past years, Vietnam’s health sector has seen great progresses in burn emergency aid and treatment, especially in the application of advanced and modern technologies.

Through the event, Vietnam will introduce its burn treatment achievements and affirm its role as a member of the Asia-Pacific Burn Association.

As a leader in burn treatment in the country, the Vietnam National Institute of Burns, also known as the Le Huu Trac National Institute of Burns, treats thousands of patients a year.

It has successfully treated the patients with more than 90 percent of body burnt, reducing the fatality rate to 1.5 percent.

In 2011, the institute’s method of applying microsurgery on deep burns was recognised by the Ministry of Health as one of the top 10 medical and pharmaceutical achievements of Vietnam.-VNA