Gov’t hospitals on Code White Alert for illness, injury amid Christmas, New Year holidays

All government hospitals are on Code White Alert for the most common reasons for visiting the emergency room during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, such as heart ailments and injuries from firecrackers and road accidents.

According to Mark Salazar’s report on “Saksi” on Monday, stroke cases and heart attacks top the list of threats to Filipinos’ health amid the festivities and the abundance of food.

The Department of Health (DOH) reminded Filipinos to take care of themselves so that they would happily and healthily welcome the New Year.

“Ito pa lang unang week ng surveillance namin: sampung stroke, kinseng acute coronary syndrome na ang naitala. Talagang tumataas ang stroke,” said Health Secretary Ted Herbosa.

(This first of our surveillance, we already recorded 10 cases of stroke, 15 cases of acute coronary syndrome. Stroke cases are on the rise.)

He went on: “Road crash injuries. Ayan, ma-traffic, nagmamadali. Nakainom, distracted driving. Sinasagot yung Christmas greeting habang nagmamaneho. And of course, the firework-related injuries.”

(Road crash injuries. Those who hurry when they get stuck in traffic. Those who had something to drink, or distracted driving. Answering Christmas greetings while driving. And of course, the firework-related injuries.)

The Philippine Heart Center (PHC), a main referral hospital, receives 45 to 60 patients a month who suffered heart attacks or strokes.

“What is the link between the stroke and holiday heart syndrome? Holiday heart syndrome is a condition that is caused by overindulgence in alcohol, stress, sometimes dehydration, or irregular sleep patterns during the holidays and these causes or triggers,” said Dr. Maricar Yumul, a PHC doctor.

Herbosa reminded Filipinos to avoid excessive eating during the holidays, lest they end up in the hospital.

“Dahil once a year lang ang Pasko, sinasabi nila, ‘Naku, di bali na ‘yung bawal.’ Kakain sila ng lechon, kakain sila ng matatamis, kahit diabetic sila, dahil may gamot naman, dahil mayroon namang pang-kolesterol nila. Famous last words ‘yun, kasi they end up in the emergency room,” he said.

(Because Christmas is just once a year, they would say, ‘Never mind if it’s bad for me.’ They would eat lechon, they would eat sweets even if they are diabetic, because they have medicines for it, they have anti-cholesterol medicines. That’s their famous last words, because they end up in the emergency room.)

Herbosa noted that stroke patients are getting younger, with some as young as 29.

Asthma attacks are also common during this time. The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) and the PHC also receives emergency patients who complain of difficulty in breathing.

“The highest number of asthma exacerbation visit in the emergency room actually is on January. So most probably because of the pollution or the firecracker effects,” said Dr. Bernice Ong-dela Cruz, a PHC doctor.

Herbosa also underscored the need to pay attention to Filipinos’ mental health and illnesses such as anxiety and depression, as emergency rooms cannot address these adequately.

“Sometimes they will come to you, masakit ng dibdib, naihirap akong huminga, pero yun pala ang problema nila, mental health. They’re lonely, their families are elsewhere,” the health secretary said.

(Sometimes they will come to you, complaining of chest pains or difficulty in breathing. But their problem is mental health. They’re lonely, their families are elsewhere.)

Herbosa said Filipinos in need of counseling may reach out to the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH)’s 1553 Crisis Hotline. 

The DOH is also on the lookout for firecracker-related injuries, mostly from kwitis, five-star, and boga, and with victims usually aged 10 to 14 years old.

Meanwhile, road crashes went up by 31% this year compared to 24. Of this, 71% involved drunk driving by motorcycle riders.

“Number one cause of death of children in the Philippines is road crash injury. Whether that’s holiday or not, either a two-wheeler or pedestrian or in a vehicle,” Herbosa said. — JMA, GMA Integrated News