DOH: 53% drop in fireworks-related injuries in 2015

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – There was a 53%-drop in fireworks-related injuries in 2015 compared to 2014, Health Secretary Janette Garin reported on Friday, January 1.

Garin said in a news briefing that as of 6 am, January 1, there were a total of 384 fireworks-related injuries reported to the Department of Health (DOH) headquarters.

The figure is 57% lower than the 5-year average from 2010 to 2014, and 53% lower than the 814 injuries reported in the same period last year.

She noted that there was no reported case of fireworks ingestion.

“This year, walang batang nakalunok ng paputok (no child ingested firecrackers). Happy new year sa lahat,” Garin said.

Most cases in NCR

Of the 384 injuries, 380 were caused by fireworks and firecrackers and 4 from stray bullets.

The 9-year-old girl killed in Bulacan last week, Garin clarified, died due to accidental firing, not from a stray bullet.

She also said that the DOH is still consolidating information on one man who died at a Manila hospital.

The man was reportedly drunk when he lit a “Goodbye Philippines” firecracker that blew up in his face.

Most of the fireworks-related injuries this year were recorded in the National Capital Region.

CITY	FIREWORKS-RELATED INJURIES
Manila	73
Quezon City	46
Marikina	28
Mandaluyong	27
Valenzuela	18

 

The health secretary said that the decrease in injuries this year may be attributed to national campaigns against firecrackers.

“More Filipinos were spared of firework related injuries as the country welcomed the new year, with fewer firecrackers in families’ homes and the cooperation of some local government units to organize public fireworks displays,” the DOH said in a statement.

The department also thanked national agencies, especially the Philippine National Police which conducted an anti-illegal firecracker drive, nongovernmental organizations, and the media for their cooperation in the DOH campaign against firecrackers.

Asked if the slight rain on New Year’s Eve may have contributed to the decrease in firework injuries, Garin said the drizzle only helped clear smoke, and still allowed merrymakers to light up firecrackers.

“But what we are concerned about is that since some of the fireworks may have become wet and didn’t go off, some children may try to use them again. We appeal to parents to prevent that from happening,” Garin said.

Health officials reiterated their call for a total ban on firecrackers, and for local government units to just hold public fireworks displays to celebrate New Year’s Eve to eliminate future injuries cause of firecrackers during the annual festivities.

To celebrate the lower number of injuries this year, Health Assistant Secretary Erig Tayag performed a dance number during the DOH briefing.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported 113 incidents of illegal possession, use, and sale of firecrackers, 28 stray bullet incidents, 8 cases of illegal discharge of firearms, and one fire breaking out during its monitoring period for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Seven individuals – 5 civilians, and one each from the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines – were arrested for the illegal discharge of firearms.

The PNP has also confiscated illegal firecrackers amounting to P1.094 million. – Rappler.com