Iwas Paputok Drive 2015 On

Iloilo City (PIA) — The Department of Health (DOH) is embarking once again on its campaign against firecracker-related injuries this holiday season.

This year’s Iwas Paputok campaign with the theme “Sa Ingay Walang Sablay, sa Paputok may Goodbye”, will officially kick-off on Dec. 2 with a motorcade in Iloilo City.

Dr. May Ann Sta. Lucia, DOH-6 Regional Violence and Injury Program Prevention Coordinator, said that the agency will utilize both scare tactics and positive approaches in its various information and advocacy materials targeted on young children.

“The campaign will focus on violence and injury prevention program including cases on stray bullets,” she said.

In 2014, DOH-6 recorded 249 reported injury cases, 15 percent lower compared to the 292 reported cases in 2013.

DOH-6 data showed that in 2014, 15 cases were recorded in Aklan, 8 in Antique, 24 in Capiz, 49 in Iloilo, 99 in Negros Occidental, 6 in Guimaras, 23 in Bacolod and 25 in Iloilo City.

In 2013, the DOH recorded 1,018 cases from 50 sentinel hospitals across the country from December 21, 2013 to January 5, 2014. This figure was 9 percent higher compared to 2012 with 931 cases.

Of the 997 fireworks injuries reported last year, 843 of them sustained blast injuries not requiring amputation, 147 had eye injuries and 25 sustained blast injuries which needed amputation.

DOH said that ‘piccolo’, ‘kwitis’ and ‘5 star’ are the top three firecrackers that caused the most injuries. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)