India Faces Critical Shortage of Skin Donations for Burn Victims
He survived 43% burns — but thousands aren’t as lucky: India’s silent skin donation crisis
The Indian Express
Image: The Indian Express
In India, burn survivor Viraj Thakoor emphasizes the life-saving role of skin donations after suffering 43% burns. Despite nearly 70 lakh burn injuries annually, the country faces a severe shortage of skin donors, with over 1,400 patients waiting for grafts each year, highlighting a critical gap in treatment availability.
- 01India sees nearly 70 lakh burn injuries each year, with 1.4 lakh fatalities.
- 02Only about 25% of the required skin donations are received by Mumbai's skin banks.
- 03Awareness about skin donation is low, with only 10% of the population informed about the process.
- 04Skin donation must occur within six hours of death, and no blood type matching is required.
- 05Skin grafting can significantly improve survival rates for burn patients with up to 60% burns.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Viraj Thakoor, a 30-year-old burn survivor, credits skin donation for saving his life after suffering 43% burns from a workplace accident. However, he highlights a troubling reality in India, where nearly 70 lakh burn injuries occur annually, resulting in 1.4 lakh deaths, many of which could be prevented with adequate skin donations. Currently, Mumbai's skin banks receive only 25% of the required 150 donations each month, leaving over 1,400 burn victims nationally on waiting lists for skin grafts. Despite a gradual increase in donations from 15 collections in 2009-10 to 213 in 2024-25, awareness about skin donation remains critically low, with only one in ten people aware of the process. Experts emphasize the need for greater public education to bridge the gap between the demand for skin grafts and the available supply, as skin donations can dramatically improve recovery chances for patients with severe burns.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
The shortage of skin donations directly affects the survival rates of burn patients, leading to preventable deaths and complications.
Advertisement
In-Article Ad
Reader Poll
Do you support initiatives to raise awareness about skin donation?
Connecting to poll...
More about National Burns Centre
Read the original article
Visit the source for the complete story.




