Bukola Afeni
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has implored Nigerians to improve on road safety and consciousness.
While urging them to curb road crashes across the country as this is attributed to inappropriate road user behavior.
Ehanire made this call in Abuja, while giving his key note address to mark the 2020 World Day of Remembrance of Victims of Road Traffic Crashes.
According to him, “We are all road users and we all have a part in reducing road crashes, whether as a driver, cyclist, passenger, or pedestrian.
“Good road user behaviour means that while operating a vehicle, drivers should not use the phone or text, and should not drink or use other substances that impairs judgement; drivers should adhere to specified speed limit and ensure use of provided safety gadgets for all passengers; and plan properly for travel by ensuring good condition of the vehicle”
The Minister pointed out that passengers distracting drivers and pedestrians crossing roads inappropriately, also contribute to road crashes.
“The parties responsible for road safety must also play their role in enforcing road safety regulations, maintaining adequate road infrastructure, hqand construction of safer roads.
Dr. Ehanire expressed disappointment that although this year marks the end of the 1st UN Decade of Action on Road Safety and Injury Prevention, many low and middle income countries including Nigeria were unable to reach up to 30% of the global target to reduce road crashes by 50% by 2020.
This, he said was highlighted at the 3rd Ministerial Conference in Sweden in February, 2020, where the performance of various member states on the Decade of Action on Road Safety was reviewed.
Furthermore, Dr. Ehanire noted that while it may not be possible to completely eliminate road crashes, the Federal Government is working to save as many lives as possible with prompt and efficient post-crash response.
“To this end, a National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC) has been inaugurated, as stipulated in the National Health Act, charged with the responsibility of administering the 5% proportion of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) designated for emergency medical treatment.”
“The National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC) is a Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) multi-stakeholder, private sector-led committee, including civil society organizations (CSO), tasked with ensuring access to prompt and quality emergency medical care to all Nigerians, at the time of need, without recourse to social status and ability to pay.
“This is a public service innovation designed to provide available, accessible, quality, affordable and sustainable emergency medical system for all persons in Nigeria at the time of need”, he said.
Dr. Ehanire explained that the initiative will eliminate the demand for deposits, payment or police reports before attending to persons requiring emergency care adding that the NEMTC is presently formalizing the commencement of a pilot scheme for the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) within the FCT, which will subsequently be replicated across the country.
The World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims (WDR) is observed on the third Sunday of November each year across the world .
This day is used in remembering the many millions killed or injured in road crashes and their families and communities, as well as to pay tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police, roadsafety personnel and medical professionals who daily deal with the traumatic aftermath of road death and injury.
The theme of this year celebration is “Remember, Support, Act.”
