DOH: More than 100 fireworks-related injuries recorded before New Year

More than 100 fireworks-related injuries have been recorded even before the New Year celebrations, the Department of Health said Tuesday.

In a phone interview with Balitanghali, Health Sec. Janette Garin said that as of 6 a.m., the department has recorded 148 injuries.

While the figures are lower compared to 2014 and the last five years, she said majority of the injuries are still caused by piccolo, particularly on children.

"Mas mababa pa rin ito compared to last year, 28 cases lower than the same time last year," she said. "Mas mababa rin ng 68 cases compared to the last five years."

She added: "Wala pang kamay na nawawasak, pero meron nang dalawang bata na naputol ang kalahati ng kanilang daliri."

She credits the lower figures to the "aggressive" Iwas Paputok campaign of the police against vendors of illegal fireworks.

"Maski ano pong rason ng mga tindera, hinuhuli pa rin nila at kino-confiscate. 'Yung mga nagtitinda pa rin po, sana makonsensiya sila... Marami rin po ang nagre-report, magkakaroon ng massive na paghuli. Sayang naman po ang kikitain nila, sayang ang kanilang kapital, kung sila ay bibili ng ilegal na paputok," she said.

She added, however: "78 percent ng fireworks-related injuries ay [dahil sa] piccolo pa rin."

"Kung titingnan po natin ang profile ng ating mga pasyente, karamihan po sa kanila (mga biktima) ay mga bata at mga minors. Ibig sabihin po, sana tingnan ng ating mga magulang kasi mas madali po silang ma-entice at ma-tempt. Hindi po nila naiintindihan na malaki pong perwisyo ang naidudulot nito, maging sa mga kalaro. Ang tendency nagbibigayan, they share it among themselves," Garin said.

She added that the longstanding problem of the said firecracker being smuggled in the country from China must be stopped.

In an earlier interview, DOH spokesman Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy said that although the piccolo is not considered a powerful explosive, the damage it causes could require the amputation of fingers.

"Baka ang depinisyon kasi nila ng lakas ay kailangan maputulan ng kamay. Alam naman natin na kahit daliri lang ang maputol, nagkakaroon ng stigma at naaapektuhan pa rin ang kanilang kinabukasan," Lee Suy said in an interview on News To Go.

In the Balitanghali interview, Garin also called on owners not to fire their guns for the New Year.

"Maliban po sa bata na sumakabilang-buhay, 'yung iba naman po ay minor. Pero sana naman po 'yung mga gun owners, 'wag naman pong magpaputok," she said.

Data shows that so far, a total of eight people have been victims of stray bullets, including three children, one of them killed due to such incident on Christmas Day. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KG, GMA News