While admitting that only four hospitals had a burn section, he said other private and public medical facilities were equipped to deal with typical emergencies due to flames, scalding, electrical contact and chemical exposure.

He conceded that the government could ill afford to put up burn centers in all hospitals nationwide.

“It’s a multi-million investment. It’s like a house where half of it is a gymnasium,’’ Duque told reporters in an interview.

Dr. Glenn Genuino, chief of the Philippine General Hospital, cited three other hospitals with burn sections as East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Sta. Cruz, Manila and Davao Medical Center.

He said private hospitals were reluctant to open a burn section of their own because maintaining one was not only prohibitive, but the return on investment was unattractive as well.

Besides, Genuino added, the section catered mostly to patients who were living below poverty line, hence, unable to pay the medical costs.

The bills could be staggering in a regimen that covers burn shock, wound/care surgery including rehabilitation and reconstructive procedures not to mention prolonged confinement.

To compensate for the lack of specialized facilities, he said medical authorities were resorting to a continuing educational program for physicians on burn management.

Genuino said PGH’s 12-bed burn center was built for about P30 to P40 million.

At East Avenue, Dr. Hector Santos, Plastic Surgery Section chief, said the hospital spent P6 million for the renovation of its burn section that was good for only six beds.

The national health budget allocates only P100,000 a month for the respective burn units of PGH and EAMC.

Genuino and Santos said the amount was insufficient, considering that a single case of a severely burned patient required at least P20,000 for wound dressing alone.

They underscored the support of advocacy and humanitarian groups as well as foundations in making up for the slack in funding. Macon Ramos Araneta