MANILA – The Health department has recorded a significant decline in the number of persons who sustained firecracker-related injuries from Dec. 21, 2018 to Jan. 5, 2019.
In its Fireworks-Related Injury Surveillance report on Saturday, the DOH said there were a total of 319 of firecracker-related injuries during the period, which is 38 percent lower compared last year.
Majority of the new cases were from Region VI, Region VII, National Capital Region, Region X, Region I, Region IV-A, and Region V.
Male individuals between ages two to 76 were the most hit, with a median age of 15. Kwitis, Luces, Piccolo, boga, Five-star, and Triangle caused most of the injuries.
A total of 246 persons sustained burns in their bodies with no amputation while 11 other firecracker-related victims needed amputation. There were also 81 cases of eye injury and two ingestions.
Health secretary Francisco Duque said the decrease in fireworks-related injuries can be credited to the President’s Executive Order (EO) No. 28.
“Tingin ko pinakamalaking dahilan kung bakit ito ay bumaba, na EO 28 na ipinagbabawal ang residential and personal use of fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices and instead encourage community fireworks display,” Duque said.
He added: “Kahit bumagsak na ang bilang (ng injuries) ay meron pa rin, gusto natin talaga ideally, zero fireworks-related injuries, zero. Iyun ang ating pinupuntirya.”/PN
