Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 1) – The Department of Health (DOH) has reported 164 cases of firecracker-related injuries during New Year celebrations so far, mostly involving young victims.
In a press briefing Wednesday, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said the latest total was from December 21, 2019 to January 1, 2020, which was 35 percent or 87 cases lower than the figure recorded in the year-ago period (from December 21, 2018, to January 1, 2019). Duque said this does not include the two cases of firecracker ingestion last year.
The cases were also 71 percent lower compared with the five-year average, Duque added.
The health chief attributed the downtrend to the implementation of an order by President Rodrigo Duterte, which limits the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.
“So, we would like to think that Executive Order 28 has had an impact [on the number of firecracker-related injuries],” he said.
Children aged 15 years and below account for 63 percent of all firecracker-related injuries, the health department chief said.
The leading causes of injuries were kwitis, lusis, fountain fireworks, ‘baby rocket,’ piccolo, a prohibited firecracker, he added.
Metro Manila had the most number of the cases with 84; followed by CALABAZON with 13; Ilocos Region, at 12; Central Luzon, 11; and Cagayan Valley and Western Visayas with 10 cases each.
But DOH noted a 16-percent drop in the number of injured due to legal and illegal firecrackers in Metro Manila.
Of all the reported incidents, 55 percent took place on the streets, while the rest happened inside houses of victims. Most (75 percent) of them suffered from burn injuries, including the 4 percent who needed to have part/s of their body amputated. The others sustained eye injuries, Duque said.
Amid the New Year’s celebrations, there were no reports of deaths, Duque said.
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The country’s top doctor then gave pieces of advice to revelers on how to properly handle firecrackers so they would not get injured.
“Remain vigilant to prevent injuries. Safely clean up firecracker debris, dispose of them properly. Refrain from picking up and lighting un-discharged fireworks,” Duque said.
He also said that those injured should seek medical treatment immediately.
He added the medical expenses of sponsored members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will be shouldered by the state health insurer.
“Lahat po ‘yon libre sa mga pampublikong emergency rooms. Fees ay sasagutin ng PhilHealth.”
[All of the medical services in public emergency rooms are free. PhilHealth will pay for the fees.]
Total ban on firecrackers?
The health agency chief is pushing for a total ban on firecrackers to put a stop on injuries linked to pyrotechnic devices.
“We hope that the administration of President Duterte will able to create legacy on absolute ban on fireworks so we will have zero injury,” he said.
Duque argued that limiting the use of firecrackers are not enough as “every firework product could be injurious.”
To back his proposal, the DOH secretary cited the latest data on firecracker-related injuries, showing that four out of the five top causes of injuries were legal firecrackers.
He also said that the healthcare professionals deserve to greet the New Year outside the premises of hospitals.
However, Duque assured that sectors that may be affected will be consulted and economic implications will be considered in their proposal to completely prohibit the use of firecrackers. The proposed written policy will then be submitted to Congress for perusal.
Early in 2019, Duterte said he would order a total ban on firecrackers.
