PESHAWAR, March 23: The World Health Organisation will observe April 17 as the World Health Day to raise public awareness regarding prevention of road accidents.

Doctors at local hospitals said that while there was no specific data available, road traffic accidents ranked third as the cause of casualties in the city's three teaching hospitals.

"We examine at least 2,000 patients in 24 hours, of which 400 happened to be the victims of road traffic accidents," said a doctor at one of the city's hospital.

WHO's theme for this year is 'Road Safety Is No Accident,' and the message is that road traffic accidents can be prevented, if they are recognised as public health problem, said Dr Quaid Saeed, WHO's Peshawar-based Emergency Medical Officer.

He said that developed countries had reduced road traffic injuries through strict implementation of prescribed laws. In third world countries, such as Pakistan, the dilapidated condition of roads, coupled with the use of unsafe mode of transportation add immensely to traffic accidents.