TACLOBAN CITY- Zero.
Thus the record at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in terms of person treated due to burn caused by pyrotechnics during the Christmas celebration.
In fact, the hospital, designated by the Department of Health (DOH) as the center for treatment for any fireworks-related injury, has not reported any such case.
“We don’t really anticipate any such case during Christmas. But of course, we are glad that we have a zero case during the celebration,” Alex Justin Marchedecsh, over-all in charge of the Emergency Room of the EVRMC.
Instead of treating injuries related to firecrackers, doctors at the EVRMC treated stabbing and hacking victims during Christmas, he said.
Marchedecsh said that the hospital is prepared for the situation as the DOH placed the EVRMC under a white code alert since December 21.
A white code alert means that personnel assigned at the emergency room or surgeons whose specialization are in trauma and injuries are not allowed to go on leave.
All needed medical paraphernalias and equipment are also in place while the white code alert is in effect.
The white code alert is to end on January 5, 2017.
The DOH is aiming for a zero case due to firecracker injury as it supports on the campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte to impose a nationwide ban on firecracker used during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The President is expected to sign an executive order for such purpose. A firecracker ban was imposed in Davao City when Mr. Duterte was its mayor.
The DOH is instead pushing for local government units to assign an area where they could put into display harmless pyrotechnics during the New Year’s celebrations.
Most of the victims of the firecracker-related injury are children.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
