The Ministry of Health has expressed concern over the rising number of road accidents, highlighting the significant and avoidable strain they place on the health budget.
The government is forced to allocate substantial resources for diagnosing and managing accident victims in hospitals.
In an interview with Nthanda Times, Adrian Chikumbe, the Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Health, noted that diagnostic tests and treatments for accident survivors require enormous financial resources.
“Beyond the cost of treatment during their hospital stay, these survivors also incur expenses for accommodation, food, water, and electricity,” he said.
His remarks follow a report from the Malawi Police Service, which revealed that in the first quarter of 2024, from January to March, there were 161 fatal road accidents, resulting in 181 deaths.
This information was disclosed by Peter Kalaya, the National Public Relations Officer for the Malawi Police Service.
Chikumbe further stated that hospital records show that the majority of those involved in these road accidents are young people, with excessive alcohol consumption and drug abuse being significant contributing factors.
The Ministry of Health has urged the public to avoid drinking and driving, as well as drug abuse. Chikumbe also discouraged the practice of taking pictures of accidents instead of helping rush accident survivors to the hospital.
