A burn center is developing a new, cost effective form of artificial skin that could offer hope to the hundreds of Pakistani women who fall victim to acid attacks each year
Lahore, Pakistan When the burns center at Jinnah Hospital in the Pakistani city of Lahore treats victims of acid attacks, it has to use imported skin that costs at least $900 per square inch -- a prohibitive cost for the victims of this type of attack who are usually poor, female and vulnerable.
But the Jinnah Burn & Reconstructive Surgery Center is developing a new, cost effective form of artificial skin that could revolutionize the lives of the hundreds of Pakistani women who fall victim to acid attacks each year.Dr. Rauf Ahmed, an assistant professor at the center, says his breakthrough came from substituting trypizine -- an enzyme used to cultivate artificial skin -- with sodium chloride, better known as salt, which is a much cheaper and more widely available substance.
Acid attacks on the rise in Britain 03:42Shireen Mazari, Pakistan's minister for human rights, was repeatedly asked for her comments on the situation but did not respond.Acid attack are also on the rise globally, with places like the United Kingdom seeing acid being used in attacks on young men. According to Acid Survivors Trust International, there are more than 1,500 recorded acid attacks globally and 80% of those target women.
Many of patients at the Jinnah Burns Unit told CNN they may never look the same as they used to. Ahmad hopes that his new form of artificial skin will offer an alternative to survivors and expensive skin grafts that are a painful and debilitating experience. However, he's worried the powerful companies that import skin may try and prevent his new technique from being widely used. "I hope my method will be rolled out across the country.
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