'Gat Andres' ready for firecracker injuries —hospital chief

The Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC) is ready to treat firecrackers-related injuries during the new year festivities, its chief said Friday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, GABMMC chief Dr. Ted Martin said they prepared their operating room and equipment before Christmas.

“Nakahanda na ang aming operating room, ang aming mga gamot, antibiotics, antiseptics ‘yung gamit sa emergency room, at ‘yung mga anti-tetanus, lalong-alo na ‘yung mga anti-tetanus na gamot,” Maritn said.

(Our operating room, medicine, antibiotics, antiseptics that are used in the emergency room, and our anti-tetanus, especially our anti-tetanus, are all prepared.)

“Sapat na sapat ‘yung gamot namin para sa ganitong mga pagkakataon" (we have sufficient medicine for such injuries), he added.

According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the number of firecracker-related injuries this year is already higher compared to last year's record.

Martin echoed the call of the Health Department to use alternatives to firecrackers in celebrating the new year.

“Hinihikayat po natin ang ating mga kababayan sa bahay na lang po, wag na po magpaputok. Puwede naman po tayo mag saya sa bagong taon,” he said.

(We are urging our fellow Filipinos to stay at home and refrain from using firecrackers. We can still enjoy the new year this way.)

Further, Martin said injured patients due to firecracker incidents cannot be immediately brought to the emergency room because of the pandemic.

“Ganon pa rin ‘yung ating gagawing paaran. Kahit po tayo naputukan, meron pa rin tayong triage na kailangan sundin kasi po pandemic pa po. Hindi po natin pwedeng basta-basta dadalhin sa emergency room yung mga pasyente,” he said.

(We will still do the same protocols. Even if we are injured due to firecrackers, we still have triage that we need to follow. We can’t immediately bring the patients to the emergency room.)

“Pero kung talagang emergency po at nangangailangan ng paunang tulong atsaka kailangan gamutin ay gagamutin natin yan,” he added.

(But if it's really an emergency and the patients need first aid, we will treat them.) —LBG, GMA News