The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has promised to involve the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria, SCIAN, in some of it’s media advocacy campaigns to promote road safety consciousness.
The pledge was made on Wednesday by the Lagos State Sector Commander of the FRSC Mr. Olusegun Ogungbemide when he received in audience, a delegation from the Lagos State Chapter of SCIAN who was on a courtesy visit to his office as part of the Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness month activities.
Members of SCIAN Lagos chapter with Sector Commander, FRSC, Mr. Olusegun Ogungbemide
Mr. Ogungbemide stated that the FRSC has, in the last thirty-five years, improved on its rescue operations from the traditional to a scientific approach, hinged on international best practices.
He explained that the country’s huge road network made it impossible for FRSC personnel to be available on all roads and as such when road crashes occur in such unmanned areas, the first responders would be sympathizers who lacked the requisite knowledge on rescue techniques.
To fill this gap, the Commander said commercial drivers were being trained on how to handle accident victims in the absence of Corps members. About 500 of such drivers have been trained this year and another 500 are expected to be trained before the end of the year.
He explained that road crashes are realities that cannot be totally eliminated. However, while the FRSC’s slogan have always been “no life be lost “, this will likely be modified to include “no damage be done to survivors”.
He assured that SCIAN will be involved in the annual Road Traffic Crash Victims Remembrance Week as living witnesses to the effects of road traffic accidents.
Sector Commander, FRSC, Mr. Olusegun Ogungbemide presenting an award to Mr. Abdulwahab Matepo
Earlier in his address, the Lagos State Chapter Chairman of SCIAN, who is also the interim National Chairman of the Association, Mr Abdulwahab Matepo expressed appreciation to the FRSC for the reduction in the number of spinal cord injured accident victims due to the activities of the agency, especially in the enforcement of seat belt by motorists.
Mr. Matepo however regretted that some of his members whose levels of injuries were initially minor at accident scenes, ended up with major complications as a result of poor rescue techniques by first responders and the mode of conveyance to the hospital.
He urged the FRSC to include rescue guidelines in its public enlightenment campaigns so that the number of road crash victims with spinal cord injuries will further reduce.