The Health Breau (SSM) hosted a press conference about domestic accident prevention and emergency response health education at a building adjacent to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, announcing that it recorded over 4,300 domestic accidents last year.
According to the bureau’s Disease Control and Prevention Centre senior official Wong Ka Ian, a total of 4,358 domestic accidents were recorded last year, 966 accidents more than in 2024, a year-on-year growth of 28 percent.
A total of 10 domestic accident fatalities were recorded between 2023 and last year Wong said, adding during that period 8,631 domestic accidents required hospital treatment.
According to Wong’s figures, on average, 11.9 domestic accidents happened per day last year.
Wong pointed out that the incidence rate among the elderly and young children was significantly higher than in other age groups. Wong said that last year 14.1 domestic accidents were recorded per 1,000 senior citizens, while among children aged between 1 and 4, the rate was even higher, at 18.1 per 1,000.
Wong urges the public to remain vigilant and prevent accidents by improving their home environment and adopting safer habits.
Wong underlined that bathrooms and kitchens are common locations for falls. She recommended placing non-slip mats and installing grab bars in these areas.
For the pathway from the bedroom to the bathroom, she suggested installing motion-sensor night lights and keeping hallways clear.
Elderly individuals should follow the principle of “getting up slowly,” while frequently used items should be stored at waist level, Wong said, adding that cleaning agents and medications must always be kept out of the reach of children.
According to the public hospital’s emergency department senior doctor Ieong Pui I, for burns or scalds the affected area should be rinsed under cool running water for 20 minutes and warned that toothpaste or soy sauce should never be applied. In cases of severe bleeding, Dr Ieong said that direct pressure should be applied to the wound and hydrogen peroxide should be avoided. For choking, back blows and abdominal thrusts* should be administered, and one should not blindly attempt to remove the object with one’s fingers, Dr Ieong said. In the event of a fall resulting in a fracture, Dr Ieong said that the injured area should be immobilised in its current position, without attempting to force it back into place
Dr Ieong recommended that every household prepare a first aid kit containing items such as gauze, tourniquets (a medical device used to control bleeding from a limb), and saline solution.
The bureau’s Ilha Verde Health Centre senior nurse Ip Ka I reminded senior citizens that there are three sets of home exercises suitable for the elderly: standing on one leg, seated leg raises, and side leg raises, adding that these exercises help strengthen lower limb muscles and improve balance.
All local public health centres offer fall risk assessments and fall prevention guidance, and residents are welcome to make use of these services, Ip stressed.
* “Back blow” typically refers to a first aid technique used to help someone who is choking. It involves delivering a firm blow to the person’s back between the shoulder blades while they lean forward. This technique is often used in conjunction with other methods to dislodge the object blocking the airway.
Abdominal thrusts, commonly known as the Heimlich manoeuvre, are a first aid procedure also used to treat choking. – Poe
The Health Bureau’s (SSM) Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre’s emergency department senior doctor Ieong Pui I (centre), Ilha Verde Health Centre senior nurse Ip Ka I (left) and Disease Control and Prevention Centre senior official Wong Ka Ian look on during yesterday’s press conference at the bureau’s conference hall in a building adjacent to the public hospital. – Photo: Armindo Neves
