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ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS – DRAIN ON HEALTH SECTOR – PM

From left to right: Mrs. Paula Fletcher, Executive Director, National Road Safety Council (NRSC); Mr. Paul Clemetson, Director, Road Safety Unit;
Ms. Rema Townsend, Admin Asst. NRSC; Dr. Lucien Jones, Vice Chairman, NRSC, participating in the Concert and Candlelight Vigil.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller says that road traffic injuries absorb a significant portion of health care costs and hospital stay. In a message that was read by Dr. Lucien Jones, Vice Chairman of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) at a concert and candlelight vigil commemorating ‘World Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims’ at Emancipation Park on Sunday, November 19, the PM noted that the health care costs to the country included time spent in intensive care which represented resources that could have been allocated to other sectors. Jamaica’s present fatality rate of 12.16 per 100,000 inhabitants ranks it in the medium risk designation by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). A check with 7 of the island’s major hospitals in 2002, revealed that the annual cost of treating traffic accident victims was approximately $518M amounting to 1% of GDP. 18% of al persons admitted to hospitals was as a result of traffic accidents.

Also speaking at the event was Mr. Paul Clemetson, Director of the Road Safety Unit who bemoaned the fact that a large number of motorists and pedestrians were not heeding the various appeals inviting them to be more conscious and careful of their road using habits.

Under the auspicies of the Road Safety Unit of the Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works, National Road Safety Council, the Pan American Health Organisation and the Jamaica Automobile Association the day was observed in Jamaica under the theme, “Have A Heart, Make Peace In Traffic”. The intent of the commemoration was to draw attention to the spiralling incidence of road traffic deaths and to highlight ways and means to stem the carnage on the roads.

The event at Emancipation Park, saw a fair sized audience treated to rousing gospel performances from the Chapelights Band and Chorale as well as George Gordon, former Gospel Festival Song winner. Various members of the audience related their experiences, having lost loved ones to traffic accidents. One accident survivor, Mrs. Estella Edwards-Campbell also related her encounter, after her accident some years ago. She noted that the vehicle in which she had been travelling and which went over a precipice leaving her paralysed and wheel chair bound was not licensed. She said however, that she was happy to be alive and used the opportunity to admonish motorists to make sure their vehicles were road worthy before venturing on the road. She also asked commuters to only travel on legal public passenger vehicles. The observance of a minute’s silence on behalf of accident victims and the release of twelve white doves completed the evening’s proceedings. A ‘Remembrance Ribbon’ produced through the instrumentality of the Rotary Club was also distributed at the function.