|
Abstract
|
Road traffic injuries (RTIs) constitute a significant global health burden responsible for 1.35 million deaths and 50 million disabilities annually [1]. Also, RTIs are the leading cause of death among children and young adults aged 5-29 years, worldwide [1]. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to be disproportionately impacted by the burden of RTIs and deaths [1]. Currently, the proportion of RTIs and deaths in LMICs is estimated at over 90% of the global burden and projected to further increase by 80% over the next decade, unless necessary and timely actions are taken at national, and global levels [1].
Recognizing that road safety is a complex issue that involves sectors beyond health care such as transport and police, the international community frequently calls for a multidisciplinary perspective, particularly with a focus on social context, to improve the understanding of RTIs and its application in the reduction of associated mortality, and disability [1]. This recommendation remained one of the key highlights of the new Road Safety Global Decade of Action for 2021-2030 discussed during the recently concluded United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting on Global Road Safety (June 30-July 1, 2022), with a vision of reducing the number of global RTIs and deaths by 50% by 2030 and ensuring sustainable transport as aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target 3.6 and 11.2 respectively [2,3].
Police represent the major first responder population that provides pre-hospital trauma care for road traffic injury victims in LMICs [1]. Though this responsibility is embodied in the police statutory mandate to protect the lives of citizens, it is not uncommon for police worldwide to embark on strike action for multiple reasons such as poor salary and unsatisfactory housing conditions as documented in the literature [4-7]. In fact, evidence shows that low income-an important social determinant of health-remains one of the leading facilitators of police strikes globally [8]. While the public health impact of police strikes on road safety is poorly documented, we argue that a police strike has the capacity to threaten road safety. Specifically, police strikes could cause excess preventable road traffic deaths and contribute to an increased global road mortality burden by two synergistic mechanisms. These mechanisms include first, lack of or suboptimal first aid for road traffic injury victims from inaccessibility to general-duty police; and second, delayed access of road traffic injury victims to definitive health care facilities due to traffic congestion, partially resulting from unavailability of traffic police. Despite the possibility of a police strike, empirical data describing excess road traffic deaths associated with police strike is scarce with nothing known about global health advocacy on this issue...
Language: en |