Kids majority of firecracker injuries days before New Year revelry

Teenagers and young children are among the early victims of firecracker-related incidents just days before the New Year’s Eve celebration.

According to Marisol Abdurahman’s report in 24 Oras on Thursday, the Department of Health (DOH) tallied 69 firecracker-related injuries since December 22. Of the said figure, 58 patients are aged 19 years old and below.

The Philippine Orthopedic Center just recorded its second patient due to firecrackers, a 13-year-old girl who injured her left hand and lost several fingers after lighting a 5-Star firecracker on Wednesday.

“Yung left hand niya ay wasak talaga. Itong gitna at palasingsingan, litaw na po yung buto. So completion amputation na lang ang gagawin doon  para maisara dahil nakalabas yung buto,” said nurse Dennis De Guzman. “Yung impact ng firecracker, nagkaroon ng damage sa palm niya.”

(Her left hand was severely damaged. The bones in her middle and ring fingers were already exposed. So we had to do an amputation on those fingers. The firecracker explosion severely damaged her palm.)

The teenage girl’s mother was reduced to tears seeing her daughter’s painful condition.

The woman said her daughter informed her that she will go somewhere with her friends. But the next thing she knew was her daughter was rushed to the hospital.

“Siya yung nagsindi. Kaso noong itatapon niya na po yung paputok, hindi daw po natanggal sa kamay niya,” the mother shared.

(She was the one who lit it. But when she tried to throw away the firecracker, it stuck to her hand.)

“Sabi din daw niya na medyo nakainom daw po sila,” she added.

(My daughter admitted she and her friends drank alcohol before the incident.)

Meanwhile, the Tondo Medical Center admitted four patients injured by  firecrackers, one of them a 12-year-old boy who suffered second degree burns on the thighs and legs because of “boga”, a cannon made from a pvc pipe and among firecrackers considered illegal.

“The patient has 10% burns. So we noted burns on the legs and extremities on the patient,” said senior resident Hardin Albajera.

(The patient suffered 10% burns. So we noted burns on the patient’s legs and extremities.)

The victim was immediately discharged from the hospital, the report said.

In Sarangani Province, a 13-year-old boy injured his eyes also because of “boga.”

“Boga”, 5-Star, and piccolo are the top causes of firecracker-related injuries, according to the report.

The DOH has already raised a “Code White” since December 21, which indicates that hospitals must be ready to accommodating firecracker victims.

Both the Philippine Orthopedic Center and Tondo Medical Center have prepared the necessary equipment to respond to expected cases in next week’s celebration.

The items include surgical gloves, sutures, saws, and bone cutters.

Hospitals also have trays of uncooked eggs which are part of first aid for persons who accidentally swallowed firecrackers. Egg whites can prevent further poisoning in the body, the report said. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News