Street Sense NGO donates to 37 Military Hospital

Accra, May 28, GNA – Street Sense, a Non-Governmental Organisation with focus on advocating road safety has donated road user protection items to the 37 Military Hospital to aid in the prevention of road accidents especially within and around the Hospital.

The items include reflector jackets, rain coats, t-shirts, educative stickers and gift bags.

Mr Samson Oddoye, the Trustee Coordinator of National Programme, Street Sense, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the NGO donated the items because of the high statistics of road accidents recorded annually in the country.

He said, according to the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, about 2,341 fatalities was recorded in road accidents in 2018 and accident victims injured yearly were about 40,000.

“We are a country that doesn’t have a big population, so if we are losing 2,341 people in road accidents every year, then you can imagine how our population will be in 10 years time,” he said.

Mr Oddoye said: “Not to talk of the costs involved in saving lives, treating accident victims and repairing damaged vehicles. Those monies could be channeled into executing projects to promote national development.”

The age range of road accident victims who lose their lives, he said were between five to 45 years, a situation he called unfortunate as they had the strength to work and cater for their families and generate revenue for the state.

The Coordinator explained that some Military personnel had been directing traffic and pedestrians at the entrances of the 37 Hospital without reflective jackets, hence the donation.

The NGO, he disclosed, had also donated similar items to the National Service Scheme for service personnel who direct traffic, private schools and the State Transport Corporation.

He called on government to assist the MTTD, especially, with equipment, to successfully protect road users and strictly enforce rules and sanctions on dangerous driving and general usage of roads.

Colonel Josephine Osei-Vowotor, the Chief Nursing Officer of the Hospital, who received the items on behalf of the Hospital, thanked the NGO for the kind gesture.

She said it was necessary to intensify the education on road safety because many of the accident victims admitted at the Hospital suffered serious injuries and found it challenging to settle their medical bills.

“The costs of treating accident cases are expensive because they are usually serious injuries unless the person is fortunate and suffers minor injuries”.

She advised road users to be cautious since an individual involved in an accident had serious implications on many people, especially on his or her family.

GNA

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