DR. AFDAL Kunting, Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) chief, has assured that they are ready to accept and manage firecracker-related injuries during Christmas and New Year's revelry in the city.
Kunting made the assurance when Dr. Joshua Brillantes, Department of Health (DOH) regional director, visited Friday, December 22, 2023, the ZCMC in line with the monitoring of health facilities readiness in accepting and managing cases of firecracker-related injuries during the holiday season.
Kunting informed Brillantes that personnel of the emergency department of ZCMC are ready to attend to firecracker-related injuries and other emergency cases.
Brillantes, during his visit, put an emphasis on the need for monitoring and prompt reporting of cases in the fireworks-related injuries surveillance.
Mayor John Dalipe last week signed into law Ordinance 632, lifting the ban on the use, sale, possession, distribution and storage of consumer pyrotechnics in Zamboanga City for a limited period from December 1 of each calendar year to January 6 of the immediate succeeding year.
After the limited period as prescribed in the new ordinance, the ban on the use, sale, possession, distribution and storage of consumer pyrotechnics shall be reinstated.
Lawyer Kenneth Vincent Beldua, city secretary, said that firecrackers, on the other hand, are banned and prohibited.
Beldua cited Section 2 of Ordinance 632, which states that "the City of Zamboanga hereby continues the policy of banning and prohibiting the use, sale, possession, distribution, storage, and manufacture of all forms of firecrackers in the city."
The DOH encouraged everyone to celebrate the Yuletide season healthy and safe by having a Healthy Handaan, Healthy Celebration and observing the Iwas Paputok strategies. (SunStar Zamboanga)