New Delhi, Dec. 25 -- New Delhi: To reduce India's high burn-related mortality rates and standardise care across hospitals, the Centre has issued comprehensive treatment guidelines that formalise first-aid practices and discourage the use of common household remedies, according to two officials and a document seen by Mint.

The development assumes significance given the rising burn injuries-an estimated 6-7 million injuries annually and around 150,000 deaths each year-with women and children disproportionately affected due to cooking fires and flammable liquids.

The new framework, to be adopted by health centres with immediate effect, seeks to replace India's fragmented, hospital-specific burn care protocols with a uniform, evidence-base...