Disciplined driving key to reducing accidents - President

by Rohan Mathes

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday said that motor traffic accidents, predominantly caused by excessive consumption of alcohol, have proved to be a major killer in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the National Conference on "Reduction of Motor Traffic Accidents, Fatalities and Injuries' at the Continental Hotel in Colombo, President Kumaratunga said that apart from Cardio-related diseases and Cancer, the third major killer in Sri Lanka is motor-traffic related accidents, with drunk drivers being the worst offenders.

She said: "Forty per cent of the free health services budget has been utilised to treat diseases of patients, caused by the excessive use of alcohol. Around 2,000 deaths are caused annually by road accidents and the most tragic of all, is the vulnerability of males around 20 to 40 years of age, among the victims."

She pointed out that transport has been one of the foremost progressive inventions of mankind and its contribution to development has been enormous. However, she said that as others, transport too, if not used with due caution and care, could be detrimental to humanity.

Certain sections such as the reckless private bus drivers were the greatest offenders. Claiming that motor traffic accidents could be prevented easily, President Kumaratunga lauded the Sri Lanka Medical Association's (SLMA) timely and unstinted efforts in minimising the same.

"A clear vision and effective implementation are the pre-requisites needed for managing it. There are numerous success stories in the developed world," she opined. By various projects, Kumaratunga said, her Government lowered Sri Lanka, which topped the list for per capita alcohol consumption, to number nine.

She praised the Police for a job well done, in curbing 'Drunken Driving' by the stringent measures adopted by them and called upon the professionals and civil society for more assistance and participation, in this great venture.

"The Police will carry the onus of meting out punishment, sans fear nor favour, to the culprits," she commented. "Although we boast of our good health indices such as low mortality and high life expectancy rates on par with the developed world, we still have to go a long way in the health sector."

Eleven years ago, her government had initiated a process to review the whole health sector. Some have already been implemented, while others are on the way.

Health Services and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva in his welcome address hailed President Kumaratunga for her vibrant leadership in the health sphere, for which he said, her vision, dedication, understanding and commitment, helped the country to obtain a quality health-care service.

Minister Siripala de Silva said it was President Kumaratunga who increased the health services budget and brought in multi-national donors into the fray.

"Road accidents are a social burden as the victims have to be treated and cared for by the Health Ministry, which pays a colossal amount.

"We need to create an awareness to have more disciplined drivers. We also require new legislation, especially in the sphere of insurance," Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva added.