The Essentiality of Post- Crash Care

What have you heard about post-crash care?

Have you ever lost a loved one to road traffic accident?

You would agree that it is painful to know that your loved ones would not have died if he/she had received timely emergency medical services or first responders’ attention. Often times, post-crash care is needed at the most unexpected time, hence it is important that road traffic officers such as Police, FRSC, LASTMA, VIO etc and every other road user be skilled first responders who can doubly increase the chances of survival of road traffic accident victims.

Globally, road traffic accident is the leading cause of injury related deaths. In Nigeria, injuries and deaths resulting from road traffic accidents are on the rise and account for the highest proportion of deaths on the African continent.

The situation is especially problematic in Nigeria because of poor traffic infrastructure, poor road design, poor enforcement of traffic rules and regulations, a rapidly growing population, and subsequent number of people driving cars.

Road traffic accident has physical, social, emotional, and economic implications. Fatalities, physical disability, and morbidity from road accidents predominantly affect the young and the economically productive age groups. Here are some of the features that helps to reduce traffic accidents.

• Safer roads and mobility
• Safer vehicles
• Safe road users
• Better road safety management
• Post-crash care

Howbeit, road traffic accident is an inevitable phenomenon of any society, the morbidity effect of post-crash care can be reduced. This could start with first-aid training to help both road traffic agencies and road users.

Post-crash response seeks to set in place

• Capacity for immediate attention and stabilization on crash sites,
• Appropriate transportation with a medically equipped vehicle to a medical facility,
• Medical trauma care capacity at the hospital,
• Rehabilitation services for reintegration into the society

For example, most road traffic accident victims are taken to the hospital without airway protection or support of circulation of equipment. This necessitate the need to equip accident clinics and establish more trauma centers. In fact, all the tertiary health institutions in the country should have designated national trauma centers and subsequently equipped for effective trauma care services. This will help to provide the much needed post-crash care to the rising number of road traffic accident victims.

In addition, healthcare should be made easily accessible to all citizens of Nigeria through a comprehensive health insurance scheme. Physicians also have a role and responsibility to protect and safeguard public health.

Taking public health approach to the prevention of road traffic accidents and engaging in active post-crash care system will have positive physical, social, emotional, and economic influence in the society.

HEI commits to saving more lives that no one should die

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