DOH Reminds Public to Avoid Firecrackers

“Mahalaga ang Buhay, Iwasan ang Paputok” (Life is Valuable, Avoid Firecrackers) is this years theme being prepared by the Department of Health (DOH)7 for Christmas celebration and new year.

Dr. Expedito Medalla, DOH program coordinator during the AGIO Forum held at DOH7 on Tuesday emphasized the theme as a mere reminder to everybody about the importance of life.

Yuletide celebration is supposed to be happier moments of life, “but if you loss your life because of firecrackers, due to circumstances controllable by your self, so be it, you die due to negligence,” Medalla said.

Medalla instructed the public to avoid exposing themselves to firecrackers due to its hazardous effects.

Comparing the period of Dec. 21,2012, to January 5,2013, and December 21, 2013 to January 5, 2014 new year celebrations, Medalla said DOH7 records showed an 18 percent increase of firecracker victims.

Medalla cited figures of victims and how the were hit by firecrackers. It was learned that 6 lost their fingers, 16 lost their eyesights, and 64 with injuries found in the different parts of their bodies due to firecrackers.

However, he said there no casualty.

He added that some of these victims were males with age ranging from 6-75 years old, and at the same time their negligence were triggered by drinking alcoholic matters prior to the incidents.

“This year’s welcome celebration of the new year, if trend are to be followed due to the public adamant, “I expect more than what we have experienced in the past,” Medalla said.

One of the reasons he cited to support this perception is the lack of quality control on the part of the Philippine National Police explosive department on the exact weight of explosive powder every firecracker may contain.

He said this is the reason why some explosive factories are obviously making their own explosive designs that are harmful to anybody it hits,” Medalla stressed.

“So the DOH is continuously reminding the public that from December 21 this year to January 5, 2015, all 50 sentinel hospitals of DOH 7 are coded White,” Medalla said.

This means there will be doctors who are on 24-hour duty.

“With newly sterilized saw, scissors, injectables and everything in preparation for firecracker victims into the various public and private hospitals regionwide,” he said.

Asked if the DOH can spearhead a move to recommend a total banning of firecrackers every year-end and new year celebrations, Medalla said “well we have difficulty on strictly implementing the law because some of the firecracker factories here are licensed and our move to stop firecracker use is seemingly stopping them from doing business.”