Call for road traffic health fund

Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
THE 67th World Health Organisation regional committee for Africa meeting ended here on Friday amid calls for member states to seriously consider establishing a road traffic health fund.

The recommendation was made following reports that more than 70 percent of road accidents in Africa, Zimbabwe included, were a result of alcohol abuse. Health Ministers from 42 African countries who attended the meeting which started on Monday concurred that the issue of road traffic accidents needed urgent attention considering the number of disabilities that result after the carnage. This, they said, would lead to the attainment of universal health coverage in each country.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, who took over chairmanship of the regional committee for the next one year, said Zimbabwe had already made strides with a road traffic fund draft set to be tabled in Parliament soon.

“The number of disabilities caused by road accidents outside deaths is worrying. The question is, are we ready to deal with this and do we have enough hospitals along the roads,” quizzed Dr Parirenyatwa.

He added: “This is a landmark for us because of most accidents, about 70 percent of them are linked to alcohol abuse. This is a big message and we should be able to verify and be alert to it.”

Dr Parirenyatwa said his duty as Health Minister and chairman of WHO regional committee was to present the recommendations to Cabinet as well as push for implementation by all member states.

“This is a real push and as Zimbabwe we are working on a RTF which will be going to Parliament soon. It will be funded through fuel levy to cater for post-crash and rehabilitation. The meeting has made recommendations and our duty now is to go back and extract issues of relevance and table before Cabinet,” he said.

WHO regional director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moete challenged member states to domesticate strategies agreed on at the meeting, saying the international organisation will make follow ups.

“From here ministers have to internalise by assembling and briefing their counterparts. We have WHO country offices which will support implementation of these strategies,” she said.

She challenged countries to increase their surveillance measures on health issues saying financing and sanitation levels were still way below expected standards. Meanwhile, Dr Parirenyatwa will be deputised by Mr Andre Mama Fouda, the Public Health Minister for Cameroon and Dr Raymonde Goudou Coffie, who is Cote d’Ivoire Health and Public Hygiene Minister.

The term is one year until the next meeting in Dakar, Senegal. -@ncubeleon