DOHA: One in 11 trauma patients seen at Hamad General Hospital (HGH) is a child victim (aged 0-18) of Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs), according to Dr Ayman El Menyar, Director of the Integrated Clinical Research Unit of HMC’s Trauma Center
According to an analysis of RTI data for 2010 to 2012, 86pc of children had injuries so severe that they died even before reaching hospital, or at the scene of the crash, said Dr El Menyar.
“Forty percent of victims of all transport-related injuries, and
80 percent of victims who died of their injuries, were 15 to 18 years old. The data also shows that only 1.2 percent of the injured passengers and drivers were using seat belt or a car seat,” he added while speaking at the second Transportation Health Research in Children of Qatar Workshop.
Organised by Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Office of Corporate Child Health Planning in collaboration with HMC’s Trauma Center and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), based in Toronto, Canada, the workshop is part of collaborative research intended to inform policy and interventions that will protect the health of children
in Qatar.
The workshop brought together leading researchers and physicians, urban planners, government officials and other stakeholders in safe transportation.
Dr Abdulla Al Kaabi, Executive Clinical Lead for the Office of Corporate Child Health Planning, said the high rate of road traffic deaths and injuries is a major issue in Qatar. He added that collaboration by all stakeholders in the country is needed to solve the problem. “Beyond ensuring that sick and injured children are provided with the best possible care in Qatar, we are committed to preventing child injuries and deaths by bringing together key stakeholders in order to conduct researches aimed at further understanding the root causes of road traffic injuries and deaths. We hope this research will yield evidence-based solutions that promote safer roads for our children,” he said.
Dr Al Kaabi added that not using a seat belt or child restraint increases the risk of injury even in a low-speed car crash. He stressed that there is a significant need to educate families and young drivers on the risks of not using seat belts and child restraints. He also urged motorists to adhere to speed limits and refrain from using mobile phones while driving. The Peninsula
