DOH ESPOUSES TOTAL BAN ON INDIVIDUAL USE OF FIRECRACKERS
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Press Release/6 January 2011
This year, the number of injuries reported from designated reporting hospitals around the country to the Department of Health reached a total of 1,021 which was one case (0.1%) fewer than the same period last year (Dec 21-Jan5) but 27 (3%) cases higher than the yearly average in the previous 5 years (2006-2010). Of these, 987 (97%) were firework related, 29 (3%) were due to stray bullets and 5 (0.5%%) were cases of firework ingestion. Four died this year; 3 from firework related injuries and 1 from stray bullet.
Among those who had firework injuries, 498 (50%) were less than 15 years and 590 (60%) were younger than 20 years. Also, 446 (53%) were active users and the rest were by-standers. Most of the injuries occurred in the National Capital Region (590 or 60%).
About 446 (45%) were due to illegal fireworks, of which piccolo caused 244 (55%) of the injuries. The parts of the body most often injured were hands/fingers 446 (45%). Most of the injuries were burns 793 (80%), amputations 58 (6%) and eye injuries 131 (13%).
The Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction or APIR campaign this year veered off from scare tactics and promoted holiday safety through positive messages. Despite the shift in the approach, the campaign managed to produce the same results.
Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona remarked “We are taking the results of this year’s campaign as a good sign of the effectivity of our positive campaigning. Next year, we are determined to pursue a better and more aggressive strategy”.
The increase in the number of cases after January 1, 2012 was due to delayed consultations, despite the DOH’s appeal to injured revellers to visit hospitals for their tetanus vaccination.
The proportion of children less than 10 years injured dropped to 28% this year compared to last year’s 34%. Public fireworks displays hosted by numerous local governments and members of the private sector have save more individuals from injuries.
“The traditional New Year celebration is one of the merriest occasions for Filipino families. It is sad however that many get injured in the midst of the festivities. I call on everyone to look into alternative ways of celebrating the holidays, so that in the coming years we can significantly reduce or eliminate firecracker injuries,” the health chief appealed.
The DOH will share these results to different stakeholders to come up with recommendations for next year. This may include total ban on individual use, pursuing instead public fireworks displays supervised by professionals hired by local governments or private sector, which is a safer way to enjoy merriment during the holidays.
