MANILA, Philippines - It's the usual "calm before the storm" at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRMMC), but the hospital's medical staff assured health officials and the public they are ready for a possible huge stream of firecracker-injured patients at the peak of New Year's Eve revelries.
On Friday, Health Secretary Enrique Ona made a last-minute inspection of the hospital, where there are 29 recorded revelry-related injuries from December 21 to 30.
Nationwide, there are 229 injuries reported so far. Ona said this is 8% lower than last year's number of injuries.
However, he considers it only a "mild success" on the government's efforts to warn the public against firecrackers. He said the next 13 hours will be very critical.
"Bukas, siguro by noontime, malalaman natin sa statistics kung ano ang mangyayari," Ona told reporters.
Ona said the number of injuries may go up to 800 at worst, but that they are hoping it would stop at 300.
"Kung maibaba natin sa around 300, malaking bagay 'yon," he said.
The latest patient to be treated at the JRMMC was a 15-year-old male whose eyes were injured by “kwitis” last night. He was discharged after treatment.
No patients were taken to the hospital on Friday morning as of posting time. Hospital officials, however, are not letting their guard down.
The JRMMC remains on Code White alert, meaning all doctors, nurses, and other medical staff are on duty or on call. Thirty resident physicians are on duty, while there are 16 nurses in the emergency room alone for every eight-hour shift.
JRMMC Director Dr. Ma. Alicia Lim also said the hospital has more than enough supplies especially of anti-tetanus shots, which will be administered to all firecracker-injured patients.
She said the hospital is ready to accommodate all patients.
"It's the calm before the storm," Lim said, "but we are really hoping the storm will not come."
source: abs-cbnnews.com/
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