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Educating communities on burn injuries during winter months

08 May 2025 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied

Nosicelo Madushana, a third-year medical student at the UFS, was four years old when she sustained third-degree burn wounds on 70% of her body.

With winter fast approaching, healthcare professionals in the Free State are gearing up for an increase in burn injuries during these cold months. Many of these injuries are preventable, and doctors and medical staff believe educating communities about common preventive practices can help keep them safe.

Dr Hilge du Preez, Paediatric Surgeon from the University of the Free State (UFS), says they observe an increase in burn injuries, which can be devastating, causing serious bodily harm, long-term disability, and even death, during the winter months.

“As healthcare professionals, we do all we can to help burn injury patients recover and regain their health and activity. However, as with many other conditions, the best treatment for a burn injury is prevention. Thermal burns are the most common type of burn we see. These are caused by contact with hot substances or fluids, such as flames or boiling water. Children and adults sustain burn injuries in different ways.

“While children can suffer burns from flames, they are more likely to burn themselves by spilling hot liquids or food. We also see cases where children accidentally fall into a tub of hot water that is being prepared for a bath,” says Dr Du Preez.

According to Dr Du Preez, when cooking, it is safer to have pot and pan handles turned inward, rather than outward where children can reach them. Kettle cords and tablecloths should be tucked in and kept out of reach to prevent children from pulling them and spilling hot substances.

A turning point

Nosicelo Madushana, a third-year medical student at the UFS, was four years old when she sustained third degree burn wounds on 70% of her body after a large pot of boiling water, fell on her. However, she would only later really understand the impact of this accident on her life.

“It wasn’t until I was in Grade 3 that I began to understand that I was perceived as different. During an Eskom educational session on the dangers of electricity, the presenter used the analogy of turning into a "chicken roast" when tampering with electric circuits. In that moment, a number of my peers turned, pointed, and laughed, likening me to the example given.

“That experience marked a turning point in my self-awareness and emotional resilience. It shaped me profoundly. I became emotionally guarded, not violent, but verbally defensive. I often felt I had to exist in survival mode rather than being allowed to simply be myself,” Nosicelo recalls.

As a result of these experiences, she explains, she developed a deep-seated need to constantly prove that she belonged in every space she entered. She wanted to ensure that any opportunity or recognition she received was based solely on merit and not influenced by perceptions of her physical appearance or sympathy for her circumstances. It became an unhealthy cycle of overcompensation and striving to validate her presence.

This is demonstrated in her academic achievements as she first did a Bachelor of Sciences in Medical Bioscience degree, followed by a postgraduate diploma in Augment and Virtual Reality (Comp Science) (both at University of the Western Cape). She followed this up with an Honours degree in Anatomical Pathology at Sefako Makgathu Health Sciences University.

Apply correct first aid treatment immediately

Dr Du Preez says they also recommend that children should never be left unsupervised around hot substances, whether food or fire. When running a bath for a child, add cold water to the tub first, then hot water to reach the desired temperature. This is safer because, if a child falls into the tub, they will only encounter cold water rather than hot, which could prevent a severe, potentially life-threatening injury.

Adults, on the other hand, explains Dr Du Preez, typically sustain severe burns due to flames, which may result from house fires or accidents involving fire. Paraffin stoves are responsible for a significant number of house fires in South Africa, and healthcare professionals strongly advise against their use.

In the era of load-shedding, people need to be mindful of safe practices when using candles, says Dr Du Preez. Candles should never be left unattended and should always be placed in a container that covers the flame. This helps prevent the risk of a candle setting a room on fire if it falls over.

“If someone suffers a burn injury, correct first aid treatment should be applied immediately. Remove any clothing and jewellery from the affected area, and ensure any burning debris is removed. Cool the burn by running it under lukewarm tap water for 10-15 minutes. Cover the wound with a clean, damp cloth and seek medical attention. Do not apply “home remedies” such as toothpaste, raw egg, or shoe polish, as these can impair healing and increase the risk of infection and scarring.

“In the event of a fire, remember to ‘stop, drop, and roll’ to extinguish any flames. Remove burning clothes and debris, cover the person with a clean towel, and seek urgent medical care.”

Being burned victim is her normal

Nosicelo, whose passion lies in research and the fight against cancer, being a burn victim is her normal. She has no memory or photographic evidence of herself without burns. “What I dislike the most is the empathetic gaze, the unsolicited pity, the assumption that I am a victim in constant need of help. I am not a tragic story. I am a woman who is brave, resilient, beautiful, and forging her own path.

“My life is not defined by the incident, but by the choices I make and the legacy I intend to leave. I am a three-time graduate, and I will not stop until I attain the prestigious FCPath(SA) qualification (the Fellowship of the College of Pathologists of South Africa, a recognised postgraduate qualification in pathology for medical practitioners in South Africa.) My journey is one of strength, not sorrow. I am committed to being a part of the global effort to eliminate this disease. Until that day comes, I dedicate myself to being a voice for cancer education, prevention, and early detection, empowering individuals with knowledge that can save lives.”

News Archive

Bloemfontein's quality of tap water compares very favourably with bottled water

2009-08-04

The quality of the drinking water of five suburbs in Bloemfontein is at least as good as or better than bottled water. This is the result of a standard and chemical bacterial analysis done by the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Centre for Environmental Management in collaboration with the Institute for Groundwater Studies (IGS).

Five samples were taken from tap water sources in the suburbs of Universitas, Brandwag, Bain’s Vlei, Langenhoven Park and Bayswater and 15 samples were taken of different brands of still and unflavoured bottled water. The samples were analysed at the laboratory of the IGS, while the interpretation of the analysis was done by the Centre for Environmental Management.

“We wanted to evaluate the difference in quality for human consumption between tap water and that of the different brands of bottled water,” said Prof. Maitland Seaman, Head of the Centre for Environmental Management.

“With the exception of two samples produced by multinational companies at their plants in South Africa, the different brands of bottled water used for the study were produced by South African companies, including a local small-scale Bloemfontein producer,” said Prof. Seaman.

According to the labels, the sources of the water vary from pure spring water, to partial reverse osmosis (as an aid to standardise salt, i.e. mineral, content), to only reverse osmosis (to remove salts). (Reverse osmosis is a process in which water is forced under pressure through a pipe with minute pores through which water passes but no – or very low concentrations of – salts pass.)

According to Prof. Seaman, the analysis revealed some interesting findings, such as:

• It is generally accepted that drinking water should have an acceptable level of salt content, as the body needs salts. Most mineral contents were relatively higher in the tap water samples than the bottled water samples and were very much within the acceptable range of drinkable water quality. One of the bottled samples, however, had a very low mineral content, as the water was produced by reverse osmosis, as stated on the bottle. While reverse osmosis is used by various producers, most producers use it as an aid, not as a single method to remove nearly all the salts. Drinking only such water over a prolonged period may probably have a negative effect on the human physiology.

• The pH values of the tap water samples (8,12–8,40) were found to be slightly higher (slightly alkaline), like in all south-eastern Free State rivers (from where the water is sourced) than the pH of most of the bottled water samples, most of which are sourced and/or treated in other areas. Two brands of bottled water were found to have relatively low pH levels (both 4,5, i.e. acidic) as indicated on their bottles and as confirmed by the IGS analysis. The health implication of this range of pH is not significant.

• The analysis showed differences in the mineral content given on the labels of most of the water bottles compared to that found by IGS analysis. The possibility of seasonal fluctuation in content, depending on various factors, is expected and most of the bottling companies also indicate this on their labels. What was a rather interesting finding was that two pairs of bottled water brands claimed exactly the same mineral content but appeared under different brand names and were also priced differently. In each case, one of the pair was a well-known house brand, and the other obviously the original producer. In one of these paired cases, the house brand stated that the water was spring water, while the other (identical) “original” brand stated that it was spring water treated by reverse osmosis and oxygen-enriched.

• Nitrate (NO3) levels were uniformly low except in one bottled sample, suggesting a low (non-threatening) level of organic pollution in the source water. Otherwise, none of the water showed any sign of pollution.

• The bacterial analysis confirmed the absence of any traces of coliforms or E.coli in any of the samples, as was also indicated by the bottling companies. This is very reassuring. What is not known is how all these waters were sterilised, which could be anything from irradiation to chlorine or ozone treatment.

• The price of the different brands of bottled water, each containing 500 ml of still water, ranged between R3,99 and R8,99, with R5,03 being the average price. A comparison between the least expensive and the most expensive bottles of water indicated no significant difference in quality. In fact, discrepancies were observed in the most expensive bottle in that the amount of Calcium (Ca) claimed to be present in it was found to be significantly different from what the analysis indicated (29,6 mg/l versus 0,92 mg/l). The alkalinity (CaCO3 mg/l) indicated on the bottle was also found to differ considerably (83 mg/l versus 9,4 mg/l). The concentration of Total Dissolved Salts (TDS) was not given on the product.

“The preference for bottled water as compared to Bloemfontein’s tap water from a qualitative perspective as well as the price discrepancy is unjustifiable. The environmental footprint of bottled water is also large. Sourcing, treating, bottling, packaging and transporting, to mention but a few of the steps involved in the processing of bottled water, entail a huge carbon footprint, as well as a large water footprint, because it also requires water for treating and rinsing to process bottled water,” said Prof. Seaman.

Media Release
Lacea Loader
Deputy Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
3 August 2009

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