KARACHI, Nov 25: Frequent loss of young lives are commonly witnessed in urban parts of the country due to road-traffic-accident-induced head injuries, and some 79 per cent of such victims happen to be road users up to the age of 30.

Speakers including senior neurosurgeon Prof Anjum Habib Vohra from the King Edward Medical College and the DIG Traffic and Highways, Karachi, Mohammed Yamin Khan, Prof Tipu Sultan, Prof Younus Soomro, Prof Tariq Jamal Mian in a pre-symposium seminar on "Poly Trauma Syndrome", held under the aegis of Pakistan Society of Neurosurgeons, called for stringent measures on part of both the government and public to contain the scenario.

Prof Anjum Habib, one of the key speakers in his presentation, also referred to common incidents of fall from height due to inadequate safety measures for labourers associated with the construction industry, and indifference on the part of people to ensure boundary walls on rooftops and railing along stairs.

He also reminded of the absolute non-existent provision of 'Trauma Registry' in the country, which could help policy makers to come forward with an adequate strategy to contain such incidents. Absolute disregard for traffic rules, ignorance on part of motorists and motorcyclists for the mandatory use of belts and helmets respectively.

The DIG Traffic and Highways, Mohammed Yamin Khan, mentioning that some 203 motor vehicles were registered everyday in the city, said minibuses, buses and coaches constituted a mere two per cent of these additions, but they still contributed for majority of the fatal road accidents.

Pedestrians were cited to be majority of the victims, constituting 49 per cent of fatalities. A profile of head and spinal cord injuries due to road accidents showed that such victims were 536 last year compared to 410 this year. The decline was attributed to a rise in the number of vehicles as well as improved enforcement of relevant laws.

Pedestrians were followed by motorcyclists making 26 per cent of the total killed and injured. Other road users formed 19 per cent and cyclists six per cent.

The DIG reminded that road accident fatalities generally in Pakistan (18.69 per cent) and particularly in Sindh happened to be much higher than even the most motorised societies including that of the UK (1.6 per cent) and Japan (1.74 per cent). The same rate in Sri Lanka was 15.53 per cent, 25.57 per cent in India.

Speaking of road accident fatalities in Karachi, the police official said it was 7.37 per cent in the 1990's compared to 4.02 per cent in 2004, he further mentioned.

Prof Tipu Sultan on the occasion called for improving the Accident and Emergency Department of the Civil Hospital, where despite the availability of qualified expertise and a modernised surgical ICU, concrete measures were still required to prevent accident induced mortality and morbidity.

Dr Ahmed Irfan of the JPMC referred to some 800 of the total 1,100 brain injuries reported at his unit during the last three years, relating them to poor regulations for protection of construction workers, victims of hazardous speed breakers, and inadequate arrangements and information to prevent diving in shallow water. -APP