Malawi Orthopaedic Association has called for a trauma care policy as part of steps to address the surge in road traffic accidents.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day National Trauma Summit in Lilongwe yesterday, the association’s president Maureen Sabawo warned that the burden of trauma and injuries involving the motorcycle taxis, locally known as kabaza, is worsening.
She said recent data shows that a significant portion of these accidents involve kabaza operators and that overall injuries from road accidents have become a leading cause of death, accounting for 32 percent of fatalities, surpassing those caused by malaria and tuberculosis combined.
Said Sabawo: “Currently, the available data shows that 60 percent of injuries are from road traffic accidents, with motorcycles accounting for 49 percent of these cases. However, there are other causes of injuries outside of these accidents.”
She also highlighted the country’s limited capacity to address the problem, citing gaps in staffing, infrastructure, and essential resources.
In her remarks, Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda, who was guest of honour, also voiced concerns over the increasing number of road accidents involving Kabaza operators, noting that it is straining the healthcare system.
The minister said most of the accidents are preventable and called on Parliament to urgently regulate Kabaza operators.
“Parliament needs to help us regulate the Kabaza business, as we are losing many lives due to a lack of proper regulations, which is costing the lives of productive citizens,” she said.
On her part, World Health Organisation country representative Neema Kimambo stressed the importance of building an emergency trauma and injury care system to ensure people have access to quality care at all levels.
“There is need for a focus on prevention by developing and enforcing road safety policies to address the issues contributing to the current trauma burden,” she said.
