By David Vera
The Department of Health (DOH) has been conducting readiness checks on hospitals across Eastern Visayas to ensure they can handle holiday-related emergencies, including blast injuries, road accidents, and non-communicable diseases linked to unhealthy diets.
DOH Eastern Visayas Assistant Regional Director Catherine Miral stated that health facilities are being evaluated for their ability to respond effectively, including the availability of medicines, supplies, and medical personnel. The region has 51 government-run hospitals and 36 privately managed hospitals across six provinces.
“We are making sure they are ready to respond to all health emergencies and if they have prepositioned medicines and other supplies. We also check if there are enough doctors to respond to the situation,” Miral said in a briefing on Wednesday.
As part of its “Ligtas Christmas” campaign, the DOH has reminded the public to moderate their consumption of sweets, salt, and fats during the holiday season to prevent health complications.
Roderick Boyd Cerro, head of the DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit, noted that this year’s campaign will monitor illnesses linked to overindulgence in unhealthy foods, road accidents, and injuries caused by altercations, in addition to firecracker-related injuries.
“Our campaign this year reminds everyone that there is an associated risk of too much consumption of unhealthy food and driving after drinking alcohol,” Cerro said.
Hospitals have been directed to report cases of acute stroke and acute coronary syndrome, conditions exacerbated by overconsumption of unhealthy foods. Facilities are also instructed to monitor admissions for bronchial asthma, which can be triggered by smoke from firecrackers and fireworks.
The DOH is encouraging the public to find safer alternatives for making noise during the holidays, such as using trumpets, horns, music, or cans, to reduce firecracker-related injuries.
In 2023, the region recorded 32 cases of blast injuries during the holidays, a significant increase from six cases in 2022, attributed to the resumption of large-scale celebrations after three years of pandemic restrictions.