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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa urged local government units (LGUs) and communities to strengthen trauma prevention by strictly enforcing road safety measures, including the mandatory use of helmets and seatbelts.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Advanced Comprehensive Center for Orthopedic Care and the Basic Comprehensive Center for Trauma and Burns at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH), Herbosa emphasized that trauma care begins not in hospitals but at the site of injury.
“Trauma care, emergency care does not begin in the ER [emergency room]. It begins at the site of the injury, at the roadside, at the school, at home,” he said, highlighting the urgency of timely and effective first response in saving lives.
Citing statistics that road crashes are the leading cause of death among Filipinos aged 5 to 25, he stressed that many of these fatalities are preventable through consistent helmet and seatbelt use, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and stronger traffic law enforcement.
“I hope local governments would really implement strictly the helmet law and pass ordinances with strict penalties for people caught without wearing the helmet,” the health chief said.
Herbosa also pointed out that orthopedic injuries, trauma, and burns are among the most costly and complex to treat.
“It’s a big burden to any hospital or health system,” he added, noting that these often result from preventable accidents such as vehicular crashes.
For her part, JBLMGH Chief Dr. Monseratt Chichioco reported that the hospital managed 27,740 trauma cases in 2024, with 8,659 requiring admission. Orthopedic consultations reached over 20,000, and more than 7,400 surgeries were performed.
She said the hospital receives referrals not only from Region III but also from neighboring regions, stressing the growing demand for specialized trauma care.
In response, Herbosa stressed the importance of community-based efforts like “Stop the Bleed” programs to train ordinary citizens in basic first aid and bleeding control.
“The first person to actually handle that patient—whether a bystander or a teacher—can make the difference between life and death,” he said.
He also underscored the role of technology in building a responsive trauma system, citing the development of national trauma registries that track patient care from the scene of injury to recovery.
“Prevention, emergency response, hospital care, and rehabilitation must function as one connected system,” he explained.
The inauguration of the new trauma and orthopedic centers is part of the Department of Health’s commitment to expand access to specialized care under the Eight-Point Action Agenda, the Universal Health Care Law, and the Philippine Development Plan.
While the opening of the facilities marks a significant advancement in regional healthcare capacity, Herbosa reiterated that infrastructure alone is not enough.
“Without robust prevention policies and community engagement, trauma will continue to burden both lives and the healthcare system. That is why we need to ensure that no one is left behind, and let a very good trauma referral system save as many lives as possible,” he urged. (MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
PHOTO CAPTION:
Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa urged local government units (LGUs) and communities to strictly enforce road safety measures, including the mandatory use of helmets and seatbelts to prevent accidents and trauma cases, during the inauguration of the Advanced Comprehensive Center for Orthopedic Care and the Basic Comprehensive Center for Trauma and Burns at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. (Endel A. Mallari/PIA 3)
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