Santo Domingo. – After a year of ups and downs, the Christmas It arrives to fill every corner with joy; is a reason for celebrate in family unity, sharing with friends and turning the page on what did not go as expected in the year that is about to end. However, during the season there is no shortage of excesses that tarnish the festivities, incidents that leave families in mourning and leave people in bed. productive age.
This has been the case for years in the Dominican Republic, a season in which hospital occupancy increases in health centers, especially those with trauma specialties due to traffic accidentswhich according to the former president of the Dominican Society of Emergency Medicine (Sodoemrd), Dr. Hayro González, are very common at this time.
When speaking with the newspaper El Día, the doctor stated that the majority of injured people who arrive at emergency rooms of the hospitals are people of productive ages, between 15 and 45 years old.
According to the doctor, in these cases the main cause of death is hypovolemic shocks (when the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body), and skull fractures.
“It is important that the population respect traffic laws; try not to drive drunk and if you are going to drink, call a person; rotate with others for long trips, and always check your vehicles; your tires, your brakes before leaving, to avoid this type of situation,” said the specialist.
In addition to people affected by accidents, González pointed out that for these dates it is also common to provide care to intoxicated by alcoholincluding minors; as well as individuals with injuries caused by fireworks burns, although he highlighted that these cases have decreased over time.
Call for awareness
The director of the Emergency Operations Center (COE), Juan Manuel Méndez García, urged citizens to be conscious and prudent to take the wheel, and to take the safety measures in place to avoid accidents.
“At this time we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it is a time to reflect and promote family unity with loved ones,” the major general recalled when announcing the operational Awareness for Life, Christmas and New Year 2024-2025 to prevent incidents during the holidays.
Méndez also called on prudenceso that situations do not occur that could put “your life and that of those accompanying you in danger.”
During the Christmas and New Year festivities of 2023, 247 traffic accidents were recorded that left 38 deceased and 290 affected, as well as 763 alcohol poisoning and 173 due to food ingestion.
According to COE data, the provinces that registered the most cases were Santo Domingo (19.8%), the National District (6.4%), Puerto Plata (6.4%), Santiago (6.4%), San Cristóbal (5.2%), and San Pedro from Macorís (5.2%)
Of the 38 deaths, 27 were due to motorcycles For 71%, seven were run over and four were caused by light vehicles.
For this year, the COE will have 47,422 people in its operations, including volunteers and collaborators from the different relief institutions, to provide assistance to the population in strategic points throughout the territory.
The entity also indicated that 1,243 fixed and mobile first aid stations will be installed, which will be located in points where the greatest number of incidents have been detected in recent operations.
In addition, he indicated that 580 ambulances will be distributed that will be located at strategic points, 16 vehicle extraction teams, 75 vehicle rescue units, 18 mobile workshops, two pre-hospital care centers and three helicopters.
