Most victims of firecrackers in WV are children–DOH 6
Majority of those injured by firecrackers during the holidays in Western Visayas were children, records of Department of Health 6 show.
Dr. Sophia Pulmones, head of the local health support division of DOH 6, said they are now using advocacy by fear as shown by their posters depicting gory pictures of mutilated hands and fingers, blasted eyes and other parts of the body, “so that the public should know the ill effects of firecrackers to our health.”
Pulmones said the age the firecracker victims in the past ranged from ten years old and below, followed by 11 to 20 years old, and 21 to 60 years old.
Majority of the cases in Western Visayas were blasts or burns with no amputation which accounted 76 percent; blast or burn with amputation, 10 percent; and eye injury, also 10 percent.
For the number of injuries according to gender, males account 93 percent and only seven percent were females.
The top five injury-causing firecrackers are piccolo, 30 percent; kwitis, 14 percent; luces, seven percent; 5 star, six percent; and pla-pla, five percent.
Pulmones said this year’s objective of the DOH is to protect children from fireworks-related injuries and deaths through strict enforcement of the ban on minors to manufacture, sell, purchase and use all firecrackers/fireworks.*PIA6
