By Ma. Teresa Montemayor
MANILA – Most serious injuries related to road crashes are caused by overspeeding, the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) said Tuesday.
In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview, POC Medical Center chief Dr. Jose Pujalte Jr. said pedestrians are the most common victims.
“Kung minsan, darating sa ospital nga namin ay naghihingalo na (Sometimes they are already dying when they arrive at our hospital),” he said.
“Kaya malaking bagay rin ang tinatawag naming puwang o iyong (That’s why it’s important, what we call the) gap between the transfer of the patient from the injury site to the hospital or to the emergency room,” he added.
Because of this, Pujalte said there is a need for emergency medicine technicians to be trained properly.
In 2024, the POC served 134,000 patients, most of them victims of road crashes or traffic accidents — drivers, passengers and pedestrians.
Meanwhile, around 100 patients with fractured extremities (arms, hands, femur and legs) and damaged internal organs (gallbladder, kidney and liver) are brought to the POC’s emergency room daily.
Motorcycle riders often suffer from fractured extremities, neck injuries and head concussions, Pujalte said.
“Some of them, wala pa rin helmet, kahit may helmet law tayo. At iyong iba naman, sapagka’t exposed sila, wala namang proteksiyon katulad sa isang sasakyan, kaya kalimitan ang tatamaan sa kanila ay iyong kanilang mga binti (Some of them do not have helmets even though it is required by law. And some, since they are exposed, they do not have protection unlike cars, so their legs are prone to injury),” he added.
Noting that the POC is the National Specialty Center in Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Medicine, Pujalte said its services are accessible to all, including the indigent.
The hospital implements the Universal Health Care law and supports the “no balance billing” policy, he said.
“Ibig sabihin, ang pasyente na pumapasok sa aming ospital ay hindi pinagbabayad pati sa paggamit ng tinatawag na implant o iyong bakal na aming nilalagay sa operasyon (This means patients entering our hospital are not required to pay fees, including for the implant or steel we use in surgery),” the official said.
He added that POC has an existing memorandum of agreement with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, which states that injured traffic officers can be brought to its emergency room. (PNA)
