DOH: All hospitals on 'high alert' for holiday festivities
MANILA, Philippines — All hospitals in the country will be on “high alert” as it expects emergencies and New Year festivity-related injuries in the upcoming holidays, the Department of Health said.
“The DOH, along with its officials, will be making their rounds around different hospitals to ensure the readiness of the facilities for firework-related injuries in light of the new year and the holidays,” Health Undersecretary Maria Singh-Vergeire said in response to media queries.
From the new year's celebrations in 2022, the department logged 85 cases of firecracker-related injuries, mostly due to prohibited firecrackers such as Boga, 5-Star, and Piccolo. Majority or 61% of the recorded injuries were due to blasts or burns, while 12% required amputations.
Officials will be visiting the Las Piñas Trauma Center, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, East Avenue Medical Center, and the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center on December 29 for the department’s “iwas paputok” campaign.
Then, on New Year’s eve, members of the department’s Field Implementation and Coordination Team will be making rounds in communities across the country to “ensure families are celebrating the coming of 2023 safely.”
A post-New Year assessment will also be conducted in Baguio City and surrounding areas to assess the situation after celebrations.
The department is calling on families and individuals to avoid purchasing fireworks and instead settle on celebrating the new year through other means, such as using loud speakers, horns, percussion, pans and pots.
The public is also encouraged to celebrate by viewing firework displays that are professionally prepared.
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