Government hospitals on alert for firecracker-related injuries
MANILA, Philippines – All government-operated hospitals nationwide are now readying for a possible rise in firecracker-related injuries this coming New Year.
The Department of Health (DOH) said all 72 government-run hospitals nationwide would be placed under white alert starting Christmas Eve until Jan. 1.
“All the government-run hospitals must have adequate manpower, and drugs and medicine, vaccines, medical supplies and equipment should be made available at all times,” the DOH said.
Earlier, the DOH re-launched the annual “Iwas Paputok” campaign and urged the public, particularly children, to avoid using firecrackers at home.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona has also called on communities to have communal firework displays to minimize injuries caused by pyrotechnics.
Last New Year, the DOH recorded two deaths, 45 stray bullet injuries, and 990 firecracker-related injuries.
DOH data show that firecrackers that caused the most injuries last year were piccolo (30 percent of the incidents), kwitis (14 percent), luces (seven percent), five-star (six percent), and pla-pla (five percent).
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