The Department of Health today reiterated its call to parents and caregivers to strictly monitor their children and prevent them from lighting a firecrackers and fireworks as statistics reveal that most firecracker victims reported belong to the less than 15 years age group (70 cases or 81%).
“Injuries due to firecrackers are preventable if only elders will be extra vigilant in keeping a watchful eye on their children,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
Latest DOH report indicated that there are now a total of 86 fireworks-related injuries from December 21 to December 31, 2017. This figure is 130 cases (60%) lower than the five-year (2012-2016) average and 76 cases (47%) lower than the same time period last year.
Piccolo (54) and Boga (7) remain as the top fireworks causing injuries, followed by kwitis (5), and whistle bomb (3).
To date, there were no reported deaths, cases of fireworks ingestion and stray bullet injuries.
Most cases came from the National Capital Region (44), Western Visayas (11), Bicol Region (9), and Central Visayas (6). At the National Capital Region, most cases are from Manila (25), while the cities of Mandaluyong, Quezon, and Valenzuela have four cases each.
Majority (82, 95%) of the cases were among males. Age ranged from 11 months old to 62 years old. Majority (66, 77%) were active users with 65 cases (76%) occurring in the street. Hand (59 cases), eye (14), head (7), legs (4) and neck (3) are the top anatomical sites of injury.
Majority (70, 81%) of the cases sustained blast injuries without amputation, 14 (16%) had eye injuries, and four (5%) had blast injuries with amputation. Fifty-nine cases (69%) injuries involved the hand.
“Let us all do our share in reducing injuries, especially to children. Injuries due to fireworks can be prevented,” Duque concluded.