“We recently had our audit to look at the first quarter of the year and it’s no surprise that vehicle related injuries or accidents top the list. Top one is vehicle related, second is assault and violence cases and the third is fall injuries,” says Dr. Kenny Gene Salvador, emergency trauma physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, SPMC said during his guesting at the recent episode of Kapihan sa PIA held at the NCCC VP.
He said that for the past three months (January to March 2024) they recorded increasing cases of trauma in general. And vehicular/road accidents comprise one-third of the cases.
There were about 1,300 trauma cases in January 2024, which rose to 1,600 cases to March 2024.
“In March alone for 1,600 trauma cases we had 500 to 600 vehicle-related injuries,” Salvador said.
He said mortality is high among victims from vehicular accidents as those brought to the SPMC are severe cases already.
“Not just minor cases, not just abrasions or lacerations they come in poly trauma where lots of organs and parts of the body are affected,” Salvador said.
The SPMC receives victims of vehicular accidents and other trauma from across Mindanao as they are an end-referral center.
Cases are attended by a multi-disciplinary team composed of an emergency medicine resident or physician, a surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, a neuro surgeon.
Prevention
Salvador said that in vehicular accidents, prevention is always better than the cure, they are advocating for the public to put importance to road safety.
"Aside from catering to patients, we would like to advocate to the public, we want to give sort of information for the public to know the gravity of not giving importance to safe streets. Safe streets do not only mean safe driving but also being responsible as a pedestrian, in using the road, in using your vehicle, keeping it roadworthy,” Salvador said.
He also urged parents to remind their children on using their gadgets as these would distract them particularly when they are using the road.
Salvador said when using the road, one must always obey traffic rules either you are a motorist, a commuter or a pedestrian.
He also reminded motorists to refrain from driving when under the influence of liquor as they had 10 to 20 % of cases (from the 500 VA injuries) involving intoxicated drivers recorded in the month of March.
“They (intoxicated) always come in multiple injuries and meron pa kasama, mga victims nila,” Salvador said.
The doctor also urged the public to follow rules on using helmet when riding motorcycles and to always wear seatbelts. (RVC/RGA/PIA11)