DOH: Fireworks Related Injuries Dropped By 39%

We're pretty sure that we can use a good news on the start of the year, so here it is - the Department Of Health (DOH) proudly reported that a significant decrease of firecrackers-related injuries was recorded.

The Philippine health agency reported that a dropped of 39% on firecrackers-related injuries nationwide has been reported by various hospitals nationwide.

A father comforts his son injured by a firecracker during new year's celebrations on January 1, 2015 at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila - photo: dailymail.co.uk

Every year, the agency has been campaigning to reduce the firecracker-related injury cases during the celebration of the new year. The significant dropped, according to the Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin is because of media awareness which is the most effective way on their campaign.

"Media awareness is also important. Now, people are more afraid that they might get injured by fireworks," - the acting DOH secretary said.

It can be recalled that the said department had launch their own commercial to discourage Filipinos in using firecrackers for the new year celebration.

The 39% data was compared on the same period of last year.

Below is the breakdown of the cases for the year 2013 and 2014.

	2014	2013
Fireworks injuries	346	566
Stray bullet	3	11
Fireworks ingestion	2	1
TOTAL	351	578

The acting secretary noted that the three cases on stray bullets has been treated and far from danger.

Garin also stressed that the Oplan Piccolo of the Philippine National Police (PNP) had significantly helped on the decreased injury cases for this year.

Assistant Secretay Eric Tayag however mentioned that the number of cases may dramatically increase until the fifth of the month.

"Last year, our initial figures almost doubled by January 5. We wish, though, that this won't happen this year," - the dancing DOH ASec said.