The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called on the federal government to establish more specialised trauma centres across the country.
The call was contained in a statement jointly signed the national president of NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile, and the secretary-general, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote, and the chairman, Road Safety and Trauma Service Committee, Dr. Kunle Olawepo.
The statement read in part: “Government at all levels should as an emergency and social responsibility commence an overhaul of Nigerian roads to reduce the carnage of massive loss of lives on Nigerian roads.”
The statement added that October 17 annually was designated as World Trauma Day by the World Health Organisation in recognition of the enormity of trauma in causing disability and death especially in the young, productive and economically viable age group.
“This Day also emphasises prevention and best treatment protocol when trauma occurs.”
It further stated that: “Globally the number of fatalities arising from trauma annually is conservatively estimated to be about 5.8 million; more than the figures from malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS put together.
“In addition to these deaths, between 20 million and 50 million people globally are estimated to be injured or disabled each year.”
“We call for increased security presence and provision of state of the art security gadgets in all nooks and crannies of the country to stem restlessness, militancy, insurgency, strife and wars in all parts of the nation.”
