THE Department of Health will start monitoring firecrackerelated injuries on today.
“We will start our Code White by Dec. 21, 2017 and it will last until Jan. 5, 2018,” Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo said as health officials made the rounds of hospitals to check their preparedness to handle those injured by firecrackers during the holidays.
“Code White” refers to the readiness of hospital manpower, such as general and orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists, operating room nurses, eye doctors, and eye, nose and throat, as well as head and neck specialists, to respond to any emergency situation.
“Our primary and secondary teams are ready. Our medicines are ready, and we are ready to receive patients,” said Bayugo. “We are looking at expanding the number of hospitals that we would like to include in generating data on the casualties on firecrackers.”
The DOH is hoping to achieve zero firecrackerelated injury this coming New Year, especially with the issuance of Executive Order 28 on the regulation of the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.
In January, the department announced a 32-percent decrease in firecrackerelated injuries compared to the figure the year before.
A total of 630 fireworkselated injuries, with no mortality, were recorded by 50 sentinel hospitals from Nov. 21, 2016 to Jan. 5, 2017. Most of the injured were in the 10- to 14-year age bracket.
“This year, we hope to see more reduction because the EO has been signed last June,” Bayugo said. “We cannot be complacent. We must be ready since we cannot control the behavior of everyone.” (pna)
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
