Oplan: Kontra Paputok

CEBU, Philippines - Health Secretary Enrique Ona has issued Department Order 271, series of 2010, in line with the collaborative effort to reduce the incidence of firecracker-related injuries, during the New Year revelry, in consonance with DOH’s current strategy.

The memorandum focuses on the implementing guidelines and mobilization of all centers for health development, DOH hospitals and medical centers for the Kontra Paputok activities.

Kampanya Kontra Paputok promotes information and awareness on the dangers of firecrackers and the prevention of firecrackers and fireworks-related injuries.

“In this regard,” the memo read, “all Center for Health Development directors and chiefs of DOH hospitals are hereby directed to mobilize their respective offices and hospitals to undertake the following activities: public information campaign, emergency room preparedness and responsiveness, nationwide registry injuries, tetanus surveillance, networking with other government agencies, and firecracker ban on all DOH facilities.” 

Ona directed that all Centers for Health Development should take the lead and implement a public information drive in their respective region or catchments area for Kontra Paputok activities. “They should coordinate with their local radio and TV network and assign a pool of speakers to promote the prevention of firecracker injuries, especially informing the public on the dangers of using prohibited firecrackers and watusi.”

It was also underlined that “as per Memorandum of the Firearms and Explosives Division-Philippine National Police dated January 17, 2002, watusi is already banned from the market and no longer authorized the sale of the said firecracker.” Streamers and posters, according to Ona, should be posted in strategic and public places. The slogan for this year’s campaign is “Ngayong Bagong Taon, gusto mo ba ng saya o disgrasya? Walang magpapaputok”.

“All DOH hospitals are hereby declared on Code White Alert on December 31, 2010 and January 1, 2011 to prepare their emergency units and ensure the provision of prompt emergency services to injured patients during the holiday revelry,” the order added pertaining to the second concern which is on emergency responsiveness.

Another is that “all DOH sentinel hospitals shall report to the Online National Electronic Surveillance System Registry of the Department of Health.” The surveillance period for fireworks-related injuries, stray bullets and watusi ingestion victims has commenced at 6 a.m. of Dec. 21 and will end at 5:59 a.m. of Jan. 5, 2011. Reporting should be done daily and strict observance of time is required, the memo added.

As for the fireworks-related tetanus surveillance period, it has commenced on Dec. 21 as well and will end on Jan. 21, 2011. Fireworks-related tetanus cases hospitalized even after the surveillance period must be reported. Availability/stocks of tetanus toxoid/vaccine in hospitals should be ensured, this was also emphasized.

 “The strategy for this year’s campaign is advocating the use of safe and alternative ways of celebrating the New Year with a healthy bang such as street parties, concerts, amateur contests, Ati-Atihan, designation of identified area for fireworks display and other ways of noise-making like using pots and pans and torotot,” the order further stated.

“And in the light of the devolution, provision of technical assistance and close coordination with Local Government Units should be enhanced wherein the LGU executives should enforce strictly Republic Act 7183 (Firecracker Law) and spread the safe and alternative celebration of the New Year in their respective areas,” Sec. Ona stressed.

Ona also instructed stakeholders to coordinate properly with the regional offices of various agencies such as the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Departments of Education, Trade and Industry, the Interior and Local Government, Labor and Employment, Environment and Natural Resources, and Science and Technology; the Philippine Information Agency, Bureau of Fire Protection, National Police Commission; various leagues of the Philippines (provincial, cities, municipalities, barangays) as well as the non-government agencies to strengthen public information campaign and other advocacy activities especially against the use of watusi and illegal firecrackers.

Further, the department memo read that “all offices, hospitals of the DOH and its attached agencies are hereby declared a firecracker-free zone.” Moreover, selling/vending of firecrackers is strictly prohibited within the premises of the DOH facilities. “All heads of agencies are hereby instructed to disseminate these guidelines to their respective personnel,” Ona said.

He also called on the Degenerative Disease Office of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control to ensure the implementation of the initiative nationwide.