By CHIOMA OBINNA
A road accident somewhere in the Eastern part of the country early this month marked a  gruesome end for several persons who lost loved ones in the traumatic incident.

Eye witness accounts said a passenger vehicle was trying to avoid a deep pot hole in the middle of the highway whenit rammed into a truck going in the opposite direction. Five passengers lost their lives instantly. Two gave up while waiting for help, while four others who suffered injuries ranging from broken bens, dislocations managed to hang on to life till help came many hours later.

In great pain and anguish, they were rushed to a nearby hospital which was already overwhelmed with other trauma victims. The facility lacked necessary equipment for handling emergencies and not even a serviceable ambulance was available to transfer the survivors to another health facility.

Although they were later conveyed in to hospital in a pick-up vehicle, more harm had been done. One after the other, they passed on to the great beyond. They are just a few of the hundreds of thousands of Nigerians who lose their lives due to non-availability of adequate emergency trauma care.

Experts note that accidents are unpredictable but preventable and in effect, avoidable, however, they could be reduced to the barest minimum, if efforts are geared towards prevention and effective prompt emergency response during emergencies.

In the view of Head, Accident and Emergency Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Olakunle Badmus, Nigerian emergency trauma care is not up to par when compared to developed countries and therefore requires urgent attention as over 70 per cent of deaths from road accidents are as a result of trauma.

If there were well designated trauma centres, trained and available trauma specialists, trauma registry, proper coordination and communication, Daniel and others would have most likely survived.

Badmus argued for urgent need for good research programmes to create proper trauma care system in the country. To improve Nigeria trauma care system, he said, the use of emergency call codes was imperative, apt vehicle dispatch and response and medical control of accident situations were essential to the saving of lives.

While stressing the need for accident prevention, he lamented that the current situation in the country, could be improved if every professional in the trauma care system could be an advocate for accident prevention.

He spoke at the Annual Scientific conference organised by the Association of Resident Doctors, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi with the theme, “Emergency Trauma Care in Nigeria,”  called on professionals in the trauma care system, such as the police, FRSC, and traffic wardens, as first responders in an emergency, to be trained on handling emergencies before the paramedics arrive.

“We should try as much as possible to eliminate injury by advocating for traffic lights, safety caps on medicines, safe road constructions, use of safety belts, use of helmets and do not drink and drive campaigns.”

President of the Postgraduate Medical College, Dr Leonard Kufeji Ekekezie advocated for simple precautionary measures to reduce all types of accidents.