The federal government has reiterated its commitment to reducing mortality and morbidity from road crashes in Nigeria.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in a statement released by the ministry on Sunday said that the federal government through the health ministry would continue to partner with the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, and other relevant stakeholders towards realisation of the goals of the UN decade of Action on road safety in Nigeria.

Mr. Adewole made this commitment while receiving a courtesy call from the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of United Nations on Road Safety, Jean Todt, in Abuja.

Mr. Adewole pointed out that some of the activities of the ministry are in line with the 5th pillar of the UN Decade of action which include establishing and developing a formal training for paramedics in accredited institutions in Nigeria.

He informed that there is a fully equipped level 1 Trauma Centre at the National Hospital where victims with complex injuries from Road Traffic Crashes, RTC, are treated, adding that there is also an established national auto crash integrated data system (NACRIS), which harmonises database of RTC in the country.

Mr. Adewole further said that there is a development of national policies on emergency medical and national ambulance services in the country.

He further explained that the ministry has started the implementation of free treatment of victims of RTC within the first 24 hours of incident.

In his remark, the Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire said that the Ministry of Health has a consolidated Emergency Medical Service on various highway corridors. He mentioned that a pilot of the scheme was undertaken on the Abuja/Kaduna Highway corridor during the closure of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in April this year.

Earlier, Jean Todt expressed the need for the Nigeria government to enact a legislative act for road users in Nigeria, adding that it would reduce, considerably, accidents on Nigeria roads.

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