The Department of Health officially announced today 597 firework-related injuries from 43 (86%) reporting sentinel hospitals all over the country for the period December 21,2009-January 1,2010. “This is the fourth lowest number of firework-related injuries recorded in the country in the annual Iwas Paputok surveillance in the past decade,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III revealed.
The number of cases decreased by 15% compared to the previous year when there were 702 injuries (683 from fireworks, 17 from stray bullets and 2 from watusi ingestion). It also decreased by 153 cases (20%) compared to the five-year average from 2004-2008.
The decrease may have been due to the fewer use of or more cautious use of fireworks.
“We were relentless in our drive against firework use. In fact, we even employed scare tactics that showed the public vivid images of severely mangled limbs and a tray of surgical instruments used for limb amputation,” Duque explained
The public too may have welcomed the New Year with injury-free alternative merry-making devices such as the torotot and blaring radios. Also, the health chief attributed the decrease in the number of cases to more ways of celebrating the New Year such as concerts, street parties and public display of fireworks in open spaces which are done by pyrotechnic professionals.
This year there were 570 injuries from fireworks, 26 from stray bullets and 1 from watusi ingestion.
Firework injuries affected ages from 2months-75 years, median 13 years, mostly males (456 or 80%). Three hundred fifty-three (62%) were active users, 453 (79%) had blast/burn injuries without amputation, 39 (6%) had blast/burn injuries with amputation and 78 (15%) had eye injuries.
Piccolo was the single most frequently used firecracker that caused 208 (36%) firework injuries. Piccolo is cheap and easily accessible to children. Piccolo was recommended for banning since 2007. This year, the PNP intensified its campaign to ban Piccolo. However, injuries from Piccolo increased by 100 cases or 93% compared to last year. Without these, the total number of injuries would have been significantly lower.
Meanwhile, stray bullet injuries increased by 9 cases (53%) compared to the previous year. Ages ranged from 8 to 51 years. Cases were mostly from NCR with 18 cases or 69%.
“Overall, we are pleased with the continually decreasing number of firework-related injuries which we recorded in the past years. We continue to advocate for safer ways of welcoming the New Year. We also advise those injured to go to the nearest health facility to get anti-tetanus shots,” Duque said.
Secretary Duque also acknowledged the efforts of hospitals, both public and private, for attending to injured patients during the revelry and for reporting cases to the DOH National Epidemiology Center.
“I also thank local government units who have successfully implemented our DOH Kontra Pautok program, which contributed to the successful decrease in the number of this year’s fireworks-related injuries, “ Duque concluded.
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