Road crash victims struggle to recover amid limited help

Uganda faces an alarming rate of road crashes, resulting in severe injuries and disabilities for survivors.

Many victims struggle to access care or support, leaving them financially and emotionally drained.

According to data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos), Mbale District has one of the highest rates of road crashes in the country, with the Tororo-Mbale highway cited as a deadly hotspot.

In 2023 alone, the district recorded more than 400 serious crashes, resulting in 120 deaths and leaving many survivors with life-altering injuries.

Mr Rogers Taitika, the Elgon regional police spokesperson, stated that many people succumb to injuries from road crashes.

“Every day, our officers respond to numerous road crashes, many of which result in serious injuries and death,” he said.

Mr Taitika added: “The resources available to assist survivors are limited. All we can do is to take them to government hospitals to receive care and, if dead, to the mortuary as we locate their relatives.”

Family members of survivors often bear the emotional and financial burdens of road crashes without assistance from the authorities.

Mr Joel Wangisi, a 44-year-old businessman in Mbale City, is one such survivor whose life was drastically altered after a crash on the Mbale- Soroti Road in 2022.

“It left me wheelchair-bound, with a bleak future,” Mr Wangisi said, adding that he got little medical care support from the hospital where he was admitted.

Mr Samuel Kintu, the chairperson of Mooni Cell in Mbale City, said victims most of the time require prosthetic limbs, rehabilitation services, and emotional support, which are lacking in the overstretched public health facilities.

“The government needs to equip the public facilities to cater for the needs of survivors of road crashes,” he said.

Mr Moses Otieno, a traffic officer on Mbale-Lwakhakha Road, said the number of crashes in Uganda is alarming, and many survivors are left without support. 

“There is a need to provide physical aid and also to help survivors reintegrate into society,” he said.

Road safety remains a significant concern in Mbale and Uganda at large, with poor infrastructure, lax enforcement of traffic laws, and reckless driving contributing to many crashes.

While the government has made efforts to raise awareness through campaigns such as the Stay Alive initiative, enforcement remains weak, and many motorists continue to flout traffic regulations.

“Every day, we lose lives due to preventable road crashes. It’s not just about creating awareness; we need stricter enforcement and more investment in road infrastructure to reduce the number of crashes,” Mr Otieno said.

Uganda Traffic Police statistics reveal more than 20,000 road crashes annually, with 5,000 fatalities. Many survivors are left permanently disabled.

Ms Agnes Nafuna, a teacher by profession, stressed the need for policies that ensure road crash survivors have access to medical aid and employment opportunities. “Survivors should not become forgotten members of society. They need physical therapy, counselling, and social reintegration,” she said.

Dr John Mugabi, a specialist at Mbale General Hospital, said many survivors have no access to prosthetics or rehabilitation services.

“The public healthcare system is overwhelmed and cannot meet the demand,” he explained.

Ms Asumin Nasike, the Mbale resident city commissioner, said the rising cases of road crashes are due to increased public disregard for traffic rules. 

“Most crashes happen in the late hours when traffic officers are off the road. At this time, riders and drivers tend to speed and drive recklessly because they know no one is monitoring,” she said.

Ms Nasike said the city council should repair traffic lights to improve traffic flow and road safety.

“These areas, especially where traffic lights are intermittently on and off, contribute significantly to the problem,” she said.

Mr Johnson Gimuyi, a senior city engineer, said plans are underway to address critical areas needing improvement in Mbale’s road infrastructure. 

“We’re enhancing traffic management in Mbale. We have designated different roads to accommodate both light and heavy traffic, enabling a smoother flow of vehicles,” he said.

Mr Gimuyi added that they also focus on improving the road network in rural communities and running educational programmes to raise awareness about traffic laws among residents. 

Ms Binta Sako, the World Health Organisation (WHO) technical officer at the Africa Regional Office, said pedestrians have consistently been among the most vulnerable road users in previous reports. 

“In Africa, more pedestrians are dying on the streets compared to those in vehicles. Around 80 percent of the African population relies on walking as a primary mode of transport; there is a pressing need to ensure their safety given the rising trend in road fatalities,” Ms Sako said during the WHO Africa Region road safety report launch in Nairobi, Kenya in July.

She attributed the high road fatality rates to a lack of policies protecting pedestrians, poor road designs, and insufficient regulations. 

Ms Chiara Retis, WHO Africa's team leader for violence and injury prevention, emphasised the need for African countries to improve post-crash care and victim rescue efforts.

She also stressed the importance of encouraging motorists to use seat belts and helmets to help reduce fatalities across the continent.

The WHO Africa Region road safety report highlights an alarming road safety situation in Africa, with a fatality rate of 19.4 deaths per 100,000 population. Since 2010, fatalities have risen by 17 percent, from 192,682 to 225,482 deaths.

Ms Sarah Nambozo, the director of HopeAhead, a non-governmental organisation involved in rehabilitating accident victims, said there is a need for more robust policies in the country that address road safety.

“Road crashes leave survivors with visible and invisible scars. We need a system that supports them,” she said.

Road crash statistics  

Uganda Traffic Police statistics reveal more than 20,000 road crashes annually, with 5,000 fatalities. In 2023 alone, Mbale District recorded more than 400 serious crashes, resulting in 120 deaths and leaving many survivors with life-altering injuries.