The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has urged healthcare providers not to reject accident victims to minimise the negative effect on them, especially during the Yuletide seasons.
Mr Gora Wobin, FRSC Sector Commander in FCT, made the call during a one-day sensitisation workshop on road traffic Management on Tuesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the workshop was Effective response to Road Traffic Crashes (RTC) victims – a Panacea to a quick recovery.
Wobin reiterated the importance of road traffic crash victims getting prompt rescue and care when taken to the hospital to avoid death.
He noted that the FCT Administration had directed that all Hospitals in FCT must treat accident victims for free for 48hours, adding that this should be implemented fully.
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He expressed the need for relevant stakeholders to partner with FRSC and ensure that road crash victims were well managed.
“During the course of our assignment, we have both good and bad experiences. No matter how the crash looks like, some hospitals accept these victims immediately and even give them beds and start treating them.
“But when we go to some other hospitals, they reject because there are no close relatives to pay bills of such victims and this tends to put the lives of such victims in danger as it may lead to death.
“I want to call on hospitals not to reject crash victims especially those government hospitals because that person you rejected might be your relations, neighbour, friend or someone you know very well.
“As a road safety personnel who is not allowed to carry money around and a situation where you want me to pay money before you start attending to the victims is bad.
“What people do not understand is that there is specific to what we are allowed to carry in terms of cash. The highest a road safety personnel can carry while discharging his duty is 1,000 naira.
“So at the point of rescuing a crash victim, you cannot get a dime from a personnel and that is why we appeal that you save their lives first and bills could be paid later,” he said.
Also speaking, the Unit Commander, FRSC Lugbe command, Mr Rahman Ameen said that the aim of the workshop was to consolidate on the various achievements recorded by the FRSC during the year.
Ameen added that this was also under the review in line with actualising FRSC 2020 corporate strategic goals most especially in minimising road traffic crashes.
“We want to ensure we minimise the risk of death in RTC by 15 per cent and fatality by 20 per cent. This means that even if there is a crash, there should not be death.
“We will also improve personnel capacity and competence in road safety management and sustain stakeholders engagement,” he said.
Ameen observed that hospitals demand money before taking care of accident victims, saying that this was in the interest of the victims rescued on the road by the FRSC personnel.
He advised the motoring public to adopt the acronym “EFCC” which means Effectiveness in driving, Focus, Calm and to be in control of the vehicle.
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