90% of traffic related deaths occur in Nigeria, low income countries – WHO

Latest World Health Organisation,(WHO)  reports shows that 90 percent of Road Traffic Collisions and its consequences of deaths and disabilities occur in low and middle income countries like Nigeria, spurring the federal government to come out with measures to address the concerns.

The  reports further confirmed that about 1.3 million persons are killed and up to 50 million persons injured every year on the roads globally.

To this effect,the Minister of state for Health, Osagie Ehanire said the federal Government in keeping with the mandate of the United Nations Decade of Action to address Road Traffic Collisions has adopted and established measures to ensure that deaths and disabilities arising from such are reduced to barest minimum.

Some of the measures the minister explained was the  establishment of National Trauma Centre at the premises of the National Hospital which provides advanced medical services to victims of RTC in the country,

He said,”Establishment of Curriculum for the training of paramedics in Nigeria. This is already approved by the National Council on Health and its implementation has already commenced with 2 centres already accredited to commence training of paramedics while the process of accreditation of other centres are currently ongoing”

“Establishment of National Auto-crash Information system(NACRIS) in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety corps which is aimed at comprehensive data collection of (RTC)”he stated further.

In his own submission,the Corp Marshal of Federal Road Safety Corp,(FRSC)Boboye Oyeyemi said the corp will continuously be at the vanguard of promoting responsible behaviors while making the use of the roads especially as we approach the yuletide.

The Corp Mass further admonished drivers to ensure in this yuletide and beyond to  “Limiting your speed within stipulated limits, do not drink and drive,Use of seat belts and child restrains and use of Pedestrian bridges and designated Zebra crossing points,avoid using telephone while driving and ensuring that your vehicle is always in good condition.

The Corps Marshal while giving a breakdown of how much lives were lost in the course of the year said,”We have lost about 4000 persons  due to road crashes this year and we must keep up the sensitisation.