During the surveillance period, the National Institute of Health will reinforce the prevention campaign throughout the country.
With the arrival of the holiday season, the National Institute of Health (INS) announced that as of December 1, intensified surveillance will begin on three events of public health interest that affect hundreds of Colombians each year.
It is about the pyrotechnic gunpowder injuries, poisoning with white phosphorus and other devicesand poisoning due to consumption of alcoholic beverages adulterated with methanol.
The general director of the entity, Diana Pavaexplained that between December 1 and January 17 this special monitoring is activated due to the historical increase in these incidents during the holidays.
“These are events that have a particular behavior in December and that we can prevent if we work together,” he said.
The official recalled that during the last season more than 1,357 people injured by gunpowder in the country. Of them, 400 were minorsa figure that especially worries health authorities at the national level.
“It is possible to have responsible handling of gunpowder by trained adults without causing burns. What we cannot allow is children handling gunpowder. Adults are responsible for protecting them”, he stated.
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The official warned about the use of highly risky elements such as totes, martiniques, triquitraques and devices with white phosphoruswhich continue to cause serious injuries, burns and even amputations, especially in children.
Another of the events that the INS monitors during this season are the poisoning with alcoholic beverages adulterated with methanol.
“It is essential to differentiate between regulated commercial beverages and artisanal products or products of unknown originwhich may contain lethal substances,” he said.
The director also announced that the country has a new community based surveillance appdesigned so that any citizen can report situations of interest in public health, even without an internet connection.
“They are our eyes on the territory. The information sent by the community enters the Institute and allows us to better prepare to respond,” said Pava.
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The official recalled that in Colombia there is no total prohibition on the use of gunpowder, but its handling and sale is regulated. Only qualified, trained and adults can use it legally..
The central call of the INS for this end of the year is clear: protect children. “This year we do not want deceased minors, nor children with amputations or burns. The responsibility is on us, the adults.”, he emphasized.
Source: Integrated Information System
