Prov’l hospitals on Code Red Dec 31-Jan 1
IT will be Code Red in all provincial government hospitals on December 31 and January 1.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Anna De Guzman said the 14 hospitals are fully equipped and ready for firecracker-related injuries including a provision for ‘fast lanes’ for firecracker-related injuries.
“We have prepared enough logistics, including medicines, x-ray plates, even trays of eggs (egg whites are used to neutralize the chemicals in the body of the victim who swallowed a firecracker)” De Guzman said.
“Children who swallowed a firecracker are not forced to vomit, instead they are asked to consume six to eight white eggs (uncooked), while for adults are given 8 to 12 white eggs,” she pointed out.
De Guzman advised relatives of injured family member to wash the injured part of the body with water and immediately rush the victim to the hospital.
“If the injury is in the hands or feet, wash it with running water and soap but do not rub it as particles from the firecracker might spread it even more. If the injury is in the eyes, wash it with running water for 15 minutes, and in both cases, the victims should be rushed to the hospitals immediately,” she said.
While the 14 provincial government-run hospitals are ready to accommodate firecracker-related injuries, she said only passive victims will be treated for free.
“Passive users are those just bystanders and not using firecrackers themselves when they were injured,” she added.
The prohibited firecrackers are piccolo, watusi, giant whistle bomb, giant bawang, large judas belt, super lolo, lolo thunder, atomic bomb, atomic bomb trianggulo, pillbox, boga, kwiton, goodbye earth, goodbye bading, hello Columbia, coke-in-can, kabasi, and og.
Last year, PHO recorded 101 cases of firecracker-related injuries which was 5.6 percent lower compared to 107 cases recorded in 2017
“Most of the victims were between five to 14 years old male. The youngest victim was a one-year-old and the oldest was a 75-year-old. Most of the victims lit the firecrackers,” De Guzman said. She also asked barangay officials to designate a common fireworks area to discourage individuals to use firecrackers and urges parents to supervise their children during the New Year’s Eve revelry. (Helen Martin)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
