The president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem has called on the federal government to build trauma centres across the country to give victims of road crashes a chance of survival.
Justice Dongban-Mensem made the appeal at the Kwapda’s Road Safety Demand (KRSD) Foundation’s 13th annual conference and World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in Abuja.
In a heartbreaking story, she narrated how she lost her son thirteen years ago in a ‘hit and run’ accident in Jos, Plateau State, which led to the birth of the Foundation.
According to her, her son’s life might have been saved if there was a quick intervention to attend to his wounds from which he bled to death.
She said, “Thirteen years ago my son was lowered into the ground after which I asked myself, Is that all’? Is this the end?
“In my pain, I ran to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and that was how KRSD Foundation was formed.
“We have advocated for a quick response unit on our roads. I know it has been established in Abuja but we appeal that they should be established on our highways.
“My son bled to death because there was no quick intervention. Maybe if there were, he would have been saved.”
The jurist charged the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Special Marshall Unit of KRSD Foundation to commit more to the sanity of roads.
Citing the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, she noted that Africa is the most affected by road crashes, with a traffic fatality rate of 19.5 deaths per 100,000 people compared to 6.5 deaths per 100,000 in Europe.
Justice Dongban-Mensem said, “This day calls us to support, to stand with families who bear the scars of road traffic crashes, to provide care and resources to survivors and to empower communities to champion road safety.
“A clarion call is for the support for the building of a Trauma Centre. Our aspiration in this regard is yet to be realised. We appeal to the Federal Government to build a Trauma Centre for us to serve as a first point of respite for victims of road crashes”.
She thanked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr Nyesom Wike for the road infrastructure development within the FCT which she said has significantly improved road safety in the nation’s capital.
[Leadership]