News
Be merry but avoid the verry this season
Three-year-old Ashmika Shenal of Puttalam will see in the New Year nursing a face full of injuries—the result of a road accident involving a drunk driver. After attending church on Christmas Day, Ashmika and his family were visiting relatives when a speeding motorbike, ridden ironically by a policeman under the influence of liquor, knocked down the little boy.
The policeman, attached to the Puttalam station has been remanded until tomorrow on charges of drunk driving and causing injury. Ashmika, who sustained a broken nose and injuries to the forehead, chin and lips was discharged yesterday.
Ashmika being rushed to the Puttalam Hospital. Pic by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
In another accident in Tangalle, the driver of a three wheeler died and as many as six passengers he was transporting to a Christmas party were critically injured. M. R. Fernando a 37-year-old disabled soldier was driving the vehicle when the accident occurred. His wife Nirosha and two sons Ravindu and Akarupa and daughter Kavindi were among the passengers and are being treated at the Matara General Hospital.
According to police statistics, 517 people were arrested on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for drunk driving. Special police teams who were deployed to arrest drunk and reckless drivers during Christmas will remain into the New Year, police spokesman Senior Superintendent Ajith Rohana said.
A majority of the drunk driving cases was reported from the Western Province ,with 234 drivers under the influence of liquor being arrested from December 24 to 26. The highest number of road rule offenders was reported from Gampaha, Mt.Lavinia, Nugegoda and Panadura police areas.
During this same period the Accident Service of the Colombo National Hospital treated 852 outdoor patients and admitted 336. Of these 212 cases were related to road traffic incidents. Three deaths were also reported.
The Accident Service’s National Coordinator (Trauma), Pushpa Ramyani Soyza said there was a 86 percent increase in injuries sustained from violent incidents, from 49 last year to 92 this year. Domestic accidents too had increased by 15 percent with 152 cases being treated this year compared to last year’s 129.
Striking a note of precaution over lighting firecrackers as New Year dawns, Ms. Soyza who is also the Head Nurse at the Colombo National Hospital, said several firecracker related casualties were also treated during Christmas. These included two boys aged 10 and 13 who were admitted to the Accident Service with injuries on their fingers and hands, an 18-year-old with foot injuries and a 45 year-old man who had sustained injuries on the face when attempting to light a cracker placed inside a glass container.
“Usually we see a large number of people being admitted with injuries caused by road traffic accidents, violence and fire crackers in the April season and from December 30 to January1. However, as there was an increase in the number of OPD and indoor patients last week, the numbers may increase with New Year celebrations,” she said.
According to hospital statistics, 2013 dawned with 869 people receiving treatment at the OPD and 364 being admitted to the Accident Service. The incidents included 59 alchohol-related accidentsand and 230 road traffic accidents, while 109 people were treated for injuries caused by violence, 239 for injuries sustained from falls and eight for fire cracker injuries.
“We observed that the main contributory factors for accidents this festive season were reckless driving and falling asleep at the wheel due to late nights. Traffic police officers have been deployed to take action against reckless drivers,” said the Police Spokesman requesting motorists to drive with caution over the New Year season.
Give your views on the Accident and Emergency Care Policy
The Health Ministry has sought public opinion before drafting an Accident and Emergency Care Policy aimed at developing a comprehensive ‘Accident and Emergency Care Service’ in all state-run hospitals, the Sunday Times was told. Under this policy it is hoped to establish an islandwide network of A&E units, practice evidence based medicine, promote audit and research and capacity building of accident and emergency staff, establish an effective patient retrieval service and improve community based services affiliated to accident and emergency care.
The goal of the policy is to reduce the current level of morbidity, mortality and disability related to accidents and emergencies by 30 percent within three years of its establishment, the Health Ministry said.
The public has been given two months to submit proposals and views. The draft policy is available on the Health Ministry website www.health.gov.lk. Details could also be obtained from the Health Ministry’s Deputy Director General (Medical Services II) Dr.Ananda Gunesekera.
Additional reporting by Tangalle correspondent Chandana Samarawickrema and Puttalam correspondent Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe