Preventing injuries is a priority
MONTREAL, Canada – Effective prevention action is required across the globe to reduce injuries, said international delegates at the opening of the 6th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Control.
Injuries are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. Every year more than 5 million people around the world die from injuries. Of these, 25% are due to road traffic injuries, 16% to suicides and 10% to homicides. The 5 million figure is dwarfed by the number of people who survive injuries, many of whom suffer life-long disabilities.
In addition to death and disability, injuries and violence contribute to a variety of other health consequences.
In strict economic terms, the costs associated with surgery, prolonged hospitalisation and long-term rehabilitation for victims of injuries and violence, in addition to their lost productivity costs, represent tens of billions of dollars each year. The human, social and economic burden of injuries and violence is staggering.
It seriously compromises prospects for development, said the World Health Organization (WHO), co-sponsor of the conference held in Montreal, Canada during May 2002.
“We must multiply our efforts to prevent people from falling victim to road traffic collisions, interpersonal violence, the savagery of war and conflict, or harm they may inflict upon themselves,” said Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director General of (World Health Organisation)WHO. “Over the past few years, national and world leaders have become aware of what health professionals long have argued: that stable and prosperous societies cannot be achieved without investing in health. As such, investments in injury and violence prevention are ultimately investments in health and development,” she added.
The magnitude of the problem varies considerably by age, sex, region and income group. Worldwide, injury mortality is two times higher for males than for females. Almost 50 % of injury-related mortality occurs among young people between the ages of 15 and 44 years, thereby often depriving families from their breadwinner. Among 15-29 year olds worldwide, 7 of the 10 leading causes of death are injury-related, with road traffic injury being the second leading cause of death for this age group.
While injuries affect people in all societies, regardless of their level of development, poorer societies are at higher risk and are disproportionately affected by the consequences of injuries due to their inability to afford or access appropriate health care. 91% of all injury-related deaths occur in these low and middle income societies.
Prevention Possible
Many prevention strategies have proven effective and must be put into practice on a global scale. For prevention of traffic injuries these include compulsory wearing of seat belts, use of special car seats for children, helmet wear for motorcyclists, speed restrictions, traffic calming measures and efforts to curb drunk driving.
