Susceptible highway customers represent 66% of all reported highway visitors deaths in our area, mentioned Saima Wajid
New Delhi:
The World Well being Group on Monday known as on nations within the WHO South-East Asia Area to speed up measures to cut back highway visitors deaths, a number one reason behind mortality amongst younger individuals aged 15-29.
“Susceptible highway customers, together with pedestrians, bicyclists and two or three-wheelers represent 66 per cent of all reported highway visitors deaths in our area,” mentioned Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, in her tackle on the fifteenth World Convention on Harm Prevention and Security Promotion (Security 2024) which started right here at the moment.
She emphasised that the roads and their networks must be designed prioritising these most in danger — youngsters and adolescents, individuals with disabilities, pedestrians and different weak teams.
The WHO South-East Asia Area accounted for 330,223 of the 1.19 million estimated world highway visitors deaths in 2021, representing 28 computer of the worldwide burden, the WHO mentioned in a press release.
With 70 per cent of the worldwide inhabitants projected to stay in city areas by 2030, demand for public transport will surge. The WHO South-East Asia Area, amid speedy urbanisation, faces shared challenges — a excessive prevalence of motorised two and three-wheelers, insufficient visitors damage knowledge, poor pedestrian and bike owner infrastructure, and restricted emergency companies, it mentioned.
In contrast to high-income nations, the place highway security measures usually deal with automotive occupants, low and middle-income nations have to prioritise the security of weak highway customers, resembling pedestrians, cyclists and riders of two and three-wheelers who’re disproportionately at greater danger.
Strengthening trauma and emergency care methods, enhancing highway security knowledge, robust management and selling collaboration amongst all stakeholders are important for bettering highway security, the assertion mentioned.
“I’m an amazing believer in collaborations and partnerships — and increasing these to non-traditional stakeholders,” mentioned the regional director.
“This may be our second to rethink and redo mobility for wholesome cities. A holistic method requires a cross-cutting, multi-sectoral method, requiring collaboration with native governments, city planners, visitors policing, regulation enforcement and others,” she added.
Street security, a public well being and improvement precedence, is essential to reaching the UN Sustainable Improvement Objectives (SDGs). In September 2020, the UN Normal Meeting launched the Decade of Motion for Street Security 2021-2030 which goals to cut back highway visitors deaths and accidents by not less than 50 per cent by 2030, Wazed mentioned.
Whereas the WHO South-East Asia Area noticed a 2 per cent lower in highway fatalities in 2021, contributing to a world 5 per cent discount, additional efforts are wanted to fulfill world targets.
On the World Convention, the regional director launched the ‘WHO South-East Asia Regional Standing Report on Street Security: In the direction of Safer and Sustainable Mobility.’ “This report outlines highway visitors damage patterns in our nations and highlights finest practices and country-specific interventions. It’s each well timed and important for assessing our present place, and for guiding mandatory actions to attain world targets,” she acknowledged.
Addressing these challenges and implementing advisable methods shall be key to advancing highway security and reaching the 2030 targets, Wazed acknowledged.
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