DOH orders hospitals to go on ‘code white’

The Department of Health (DOH) has ordered hospitals nationwide to be on “code white,” as firecracker-related injuries during the holidays increased from cases reported last year.

DOH officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Thursday the health department had already instructed all hospitals in the country to be on code white, the lowest alert level that directs them to activate manpower and facility resources and form a team solely for firecracker casualties.

“All the hospitals have been told to prepare for firecracker injuries,” Vergeire said at a press briefing.

“We are now in code white, meaning all are instructed to prepare, all are instructed to have a special team to address the concerns of people who are going to our hospitals with injuries due to firecrackers.”

Preparedness urged

Under the code white status, medical personnel are placed on an “on-call status for immediate mobilization” to ensure the readiness of the hospital to respond to emergencies, whether injuries or poisoning incidents due to firecrackers.

Based on the latest DOH data, 36 firecracker-related injuries were reported from Dec. 21 to Dec. 29, an increase of 44 percent from the same period last year. Of the latest count, four new cases were recorded on Thursday.

The prohibited “boga,” an improvised cannon made with polyvinyl chloride pipes, is the top culprit of injuries, with 14 cases, or 39 percent, of total cases.

This was followed by whistle bombs (four cases); five star and “kwitis,” a permissible rocket fireworks, (three each); and “camara” (one). No ingestion of fireworks or stray bullet injuries were reported.

Vergeire and other health officials made hospital rounds in Metro Manila on Thursday to inspect the emergency response of hospitals ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations.

At a press briefing, Vergeire attributed the slight increase in reported firecracker injuries this year to the more relaxed mobility restrictions, as well as the enhanced surveillance of the DOH of other diseases and health emergencies. INQ

RELATED STORIES

Saying goodbye to 2022: Calls grow louder to keep firecracker harm at bay

DOH tallies 4 firecracker-related injuries