The government will continue to partner with various partners to improve road safety in the country, Public Health Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai has said.
Kimutai acknowledged the staggering economic impact of road traffic injuries estimating annual costs to be Sh46.1 billion.
He said as a ministry they are keen on strengthening emergency services for victims as well as improving data collection, policy development and implementation of prevention activities.
“This is further reinforced by the fact that the Ministry has included the reduction of the burden of road traffic injuries as one of its strategic objectives in the Health Policy 2014-2030,” he said.
Speaking Tuesday during the launch of the World Health Organization safety status report in the African region, Kimutai noted that Kenya is currently ranked fifth in the continent in road traffic injury fatality rates.
The report presents a worrying trend where road traffic death rates have surged in Africa over the past decade, with nearly 250,000 lives lost on the continent’s roads in 2021.
This marks a 17 per cent increase in road-related fatalities between 2010 and 2021.
Despite comprising only 15 per cent of the world’s population and 3 per cent of its vehicles, the region accounts for nearly one-fifth of all road deaths globally.
Global road traffic death rates have decreased by 5 per cent over the same period, the report states.
The report highlights several contributing factors to this rise, including inadequate road safety laws and standards.
Notably, no country in Africa currently meets best practice standards for key road safety behavioural risk factors, such as speeding, drunk driving, non-use of motorcycle helmets, seat belts, and child restraints.
In response, Kimutai said the ministry has equipped public hospitals with advanced diagnostic technologies and essential drugs to manage victims of road accidents effectively.
In the areas of pre-hospital care, the Ministry he stated has launched the Emergency care policy in 2021 that aims at establishing a vibrant Emergency Medical Care system.
“This policy is in line with the fifth pillar of the Decade of Action for road safety; strengthening of post-crash care,” he said.
Plans, he said, are underway to implement a trauma registry that will provide an accurate account of the injuries resulting from road crashes.
Kimutai further pointed out that healthcare workers are continuously being trained in trauma care with the training involving the adoption of modern technologies.