India needs more skin donors, supply-demand gap glaring: NBC director

On April 23, 2026, in Mumbai, the National Burns Centre (NBC) director and plastic surgeon Dr Sunil Keswani told reporters that there is a significant gap between skin donation supply and demand in India. He stated that Mumbai requires about 150 skin grafts per month for burn patients, but only around 30 skin donations are received monthly. He added that Mumbai skin banks obtain only about 25% of the required donations each month. He noted there are 35 skin banks across India, with four located in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai; the banks are mainly concentrated in the south and west, and there are no skin banks in the northeast. Keswani observed that roughly 70% of burn patients are aged 15–35, and limited access to skin transplantation imposes economic and emotional strain on survivors and families. He explained skin grafts should be donated within 6 hours of death (or 12 hours if the body is well refrigerated) and that donors must be registered with a local skin bank to be eligible post-death. Keswani also highlighted that about 70% of burn cases are due to industrial hazards, and only about 1 in 10 people know about the skin donation process. The NBC, based in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, stated it conducts nearly 300 programs annually to raise awareness and has a dedicated helpline for skin donation information.