The Oyo State Government and the Nigerian Burn Injuries Society (NBIS) have called for an evidence-based approach to burn care and reconstructive surgery to improve patient outcomes and restore the dignity and quality of life of victims.

They made the call at the opening ceremony of the 31st National Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (NAPRAS) and 19th NBIS Joint Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

The conference, which was held from August 18 to 22, 2026, brought together plastic surgeons, burn specialists, academics, researchers and other health professionals to deliberate on quality improvement in plastic surgery and paediatric burn care.

Speaking at the event, Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, said plastic and reconstructive surgery should not be viewed merely from the perspective of aesthetics, stressing that it was critical to restoring function, independence, dignity and quality of life.

She said quality improvement in specialist care required that treatment be safe, effective, timely, equitable, patient-centred and evidence-based.

According to her, the government’s creation of the Directorate of Tertiary Health Care was aimed at strengthening the relationship between the Ministry of Health and tertiary institutions and ensuring that research, expertise and innovation could inform policy and service delivery.

Ajetunmobi said: “The knowledge that we are going to generate will be useful in seeking a health system where evidence, policy and clinical practice continuously inform one another.”

She urged specialists, researchers and tertiary institutions to ensure that knowledge generated at the conference translated into clinical protocols, training, referral pathways, quality improvement initiatives, prevention strategies and health policies.

The commissioner also stressed the need for a multidisciplinary approach to reconstructive care involving surgeons, physicians, paediatricians, anaesthetists, nurses, nutritionists, psychologists and physiotherapists.

On paediatric burns, she said children were particularly vulnerable to complications including infections, scarring, contractures, disability and psychological trauma.

She therefore called for greater emphasis on prevention by identifying hazards in homes, schools and communities, while strengthening infection prevention and control, patient safety, antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance.

Ajetunmobi said primary healthcare workers must be able to recognise conditions requiring specialist attention and facilitate timely referrals, while secondary facilities should stabilise patients and refer appropriately to tertiary centres.

In his welcome address, President of NBIS, Dr. Innih Kadiri, said the conference theme on paediatric burn care, with emphasis on burn wound infection, reflected two critical challenges in burn management.

He said children remained among the most vulnerable victims of burn injuries, while wound infections continued to contribute significantly to morbidity, mortality and poor outcomes.

Kadiri said the conference provided an opportunity for professionals to exchange knowledge and discuss innovative approaches to addressing challenges associated with burn injuries and reconstructive surgery.

He expressed confidence that the scientific deliberations would produce practical solutions capable of advancing burn care in Nigeria and beyond.

The NBIS president also announced a N2 million donation by Bovas & Company Limited towards the hosting of the National Burn Registry website.

He said the support would strengthen burn data collection, research, policy formulation and quality improvement initiatives in the country.

Kadiri also congratulated members of the society who successfully passed the latest postgraduate fellowship examinations and commended the immediate past president of NBIS, Dr. Iyun A.O., on his appointment to the Board of the International Society for Burn Injuries.

The conference participants were urged to strengthen collaboration between government, professional bodies, tertiary institutions and researchers to ensure that advances in specialist medicine translate into improved prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and quality of life for burn patients.