Keep kids safe from injury
By Tee Shiao Eek KUALA LUMPUR, 3 February 2009 – In contrast to the Lunar New Year festivities that continue for 15 days, the Government's traffic safety operation (“Ops Sikap 19”) will present a sobering reality when it reveals the number of road traffic accidents and deaths during this festive period. This operation is the first to be carried out since the new legislation on the use of rear seatbelts in cars was introduced on 1 January 2009. Worldwide, road crashes are the number one cause of child deaths from injuries, killing 260,000 children a year. This was one of the findings of the ‘World Report on Child Injury Prevention’, a report released by UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) in December 2008 highlighting unintentional childhood injuries as a serious public health concern, particularly among children over one year. Unintentional injuries, although largely preventable, are among the top three causes of death among children aged 5–19 years. A safety revolution Almost three decades ago a child survival revolution was launched, aimed at combating infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies as the leading killers of infants and children. “Millions of lives were saved, and the development of many millions more children was advanced,” said UNICEF Representative to Malaysia Mr Youssouf Oomar. “Let us now begin a similar revolution to reduce injury-related causes of child death and disability, which we know are preventable with simple and effective interventions,” he urged. The joint UNICEF-WHO report recommends a broad-spectrum approach to child injury prevention, where governments are responsible for implementing multisectoral, multipronged strategies that complement other child health programs. The key measures recommended by the report are legislation, regulation and enforcement; product modification; environmental modification; education, skills development and advocacy; as well as emergency care and rehabilitation. Shared responsibility Injury prevention is not solely the responsibility of parents or teachers. Interventions have to be initiated at the highest policy-making level and be translated across all levels of civil and private sectors, right down to daily practices in homes and communities.
The Government of Malaysia has made a strong commitment in this direction, by legislating the use of rear seatbelts in cars and by ensuring rigorous enforcement of the law. The Government has also proven that exclusive motorcycle lanes, separated from the main carriageway by a raised central reservation, can decrease accident rates. In Malaysia, where there are large numbers of young motorcyclists, a 27% reduction in crash rates has been recorded since motorcycles were separated from the rest of the traffic (source: World Health Organisation). Civil society can further strengthen the implementation of these laws and policies by creating awareness and mobilising community involvement. One such effort is that by the Malaysian Council for Child Welfare, with the support of UNICEF, to promote the Malaysian Initiative for Child-Friendly Cities, which encourages communities to create safe environments for children. UNICEF in action In Malaysia, UNICEF is working with the Government, academic institutions and NGOs to protect a child’s right to grow safely into adulthood. A comprehensive child injury database is an essential component of an effective child protection system. UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Health Malaysia to develop a child injury surveillance system that will track intentional and unintentional injuries among children. This surveillance system has been piloted in 5 hospitals and 3 primary care clinics in Malaysia. The data captured will be used to establish the contributing causes and risk factors for child injuries, and provide evidence to develop effective interventions for child safety. If proven prevention measures were adopted everywhere, at least 1,000 children’s lives could be saved every day. “The cost of doing nothing is unacceptable,” said Mr Youssouf unequivocally.
World Report Companion Publication for Children Research Factsheets Newsline 2 February 2009: |
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