Fewer firecracker injuries, but more amputations

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) reported that the number of victims of firecracker explosions before and after the New Year revelry reached 346, lower than last year’s figures.

But there were more serious injuries this year that led to amputations, Health Secretary Janette Garin said in a press briefing yesterday.

Garin said that 173 revelers were injured on New Year’s Eve, bringing to 346 the number of firecracker-related cases. This is almost half of the 566 cases recorded during the 2014 revelry.

The 346 cases are 160 cases lower than the five-year average and 227 cases lower than the same period last year.

“But sad to say, the number of amputations have increased from eight last year to 14. This is because there are more kids using firecrackers now and almost half of the amputation cases involved drunks,” she noted.

Garin claimed firecracker blasts this year were stronger.

The three firecrackers that caused most of the amputations were whistle bomb, pla-pla and piccolo.

Two of the amputation cases that happened on Christmas Day involved a five-year-old boy from Cebu who lost his right hand after lighting an unknown firecracker.

The other is a nine-year-old boy from Manila whose left hand was cut off due to piccolo.

Fifty-nine revellers sustained eye injuries. This is lower than the 72 cases last year.

“These should have not happened. This will result in future damage, future loss,” she added.

The data are based on reports coming from 50 sentinel hospitals nationwide from 6 a.m. of Dec. 21 to 6 a.m. of Jan. 1.

The DOH had registered two cases of luces ingestion.

Garin added while the number of injuries from piccolo had decreased by three percent, it remains the leading cause of injuries at 166 of the 346 cases.

Asked who is at fault for the continued sale and use of piccolo – a banned firecracker designed for children – during the Yuletide season, Garin refused to blame anyone.

“We have to be sure about the facts – if the piccolo was smuggled and repacked or if manufactured here. We cannot just point to anybody. We cannot blame just one person, many factors are involved. What is the role of the parents here?” Garin said.

Total ban

According to Garin, the DOH will now vigorously pursue a total ban on firecrackers for public use.

She will ask President Aquino to certify as priority any pending bill in Congress that seeks to prohibit the use of firecrackers by the public.

The DOH will instead push for fireworks display in the community handled by professionals.

At present, only a few firecrackers and fireworks are considered banned under the law. These include piccolo, goodbye Philippines, goodbye Yolanda, goodbye Napoles, watusi, pla-pla and giant kwitis.

Every year, however, manufacturers come up with new firecrackers or rename existing ones to avoid confiscation.

But under the law, firecrackers containing 0.2 grams of gunpowder and those that explode within three seconds and after six seconds after the wicks have been lighted are banned.

Garin said that firecrackers are taking their toll not only on the victims and their families but on government as well, in terms of healthcare expenses.

She claimed that each of the 70 DOH-retained hospitals has allocated some P500,000 to P1 million worth of medicine and medical supplies to be used for injuries related to the New Year revelry.

Garin gave assurance the supplies, consisting mostly of antibiotic and anti-tetanus shots, would not be wasted since they could still be used for other patients.

“We have also prepared eggs for those who have ingested fireworks. They will not be wasted because the hospitals can cook them for the meals of the patients,” she added.

Egg whites are being taken as first aid by patients who have ingested firecrackers because they can provide coating on the intestines until they are brought to hospital.  – With Rey Galupo, Non Alquitran, Ramon Lazaro, Ric Sapnu, Celso Amo, Manny Galvez, Cesar Ramirez, Eva Visperas