Abstract
This paper highlights the increasing problem of road traffic accident (RTA) related morbidity and mortality in Ghana, and the public health measures needed to control the problem. Descriptive data in the public domain from statutory bodies and media houses reports on country RTA information, as well as academic papers on the problem, were used as source of information about the problem. The observed trend in Ghana indicates that RTA related fatalities and injuries continue to be increasing, as morbidity and mortality factors since the year 2000. Most of the remedial measures suggested in academic papers, and state agencies measures to curb the RTA trend in Ghana to date, have discussed the problem in terms of injury and safety issues/measures. This paper suggests that the increasing RTAs with associated morbidity and mortality in Ghana need to be looked at more as a public health problem and priority that requires prompt tackling using a public health problem orientated approach and measures, than just as a safety problem due to RTAs’, as is currently done.
Highlights
Road traffic accidents (RTAs) affect populations all over the world; different local factors influence the causes of road traffic accident (RTA) in specific regions
What this paper stresses and brings to the Ghana RTA discussion, is that the problem of RTA containment should primarily focus on prevention by utilising a multifaceted public health approach
This approach draws on all the relevant public health disciplines of epidemiology, statistics, environmental sciences, behavioural sciences, safety and injury prevention, health services administration and others, as well as the incorporation of emergency and advanced trauma support services, to guide and formulate policies towards containing the scourge of the RTA problem currently confronting the country
Summary
Road traffic accidents (RTAs) affect populations all over the world; different local factors influence the causes of RTA in specific regions. The causes of RTAs’ among others include human or driver errors, vehicle characteristics, traffic infrastructures including engineering design, road maintenance and traffic regulation [1]. It is estimated that US $518 billion is spent globally on RTAs’, with US $65 billion being spent in low and middle income countries (LAMIC), this amount being reported as spent in LAMIC being bigger than what these countries receive per year, in development aid [3]. The public heath impact of RTAs’ prompted the world health organisation (WHO) to focus attention in 2004 on a global campaign to curb this growing public health burden [8]
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