Kumasi: Dr Evans Ansu-Yeboah, Deputy Director of Research and Development at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, has stressed the need for effective preventive measures to help reduce head injuries resulting from accidents in the country.

According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Ansu-Yeboah pointed out that the country’s capacity to handle head and spinal injuries was severely inadequate and there was a need to strengthen interventions to reduce the occurrence of such injuries. Preventive interventions such as wearing of seat belts and public education on the safety use of tricycles, motorcycles, and vehicles must be enforced to prevent accidents that could lead to severe injuries.

Dr Ansu-Yeboah highlighted that collaborative research conducted by KATH and Trauma Emergency and Acute care Medicine Research Network (TEAM-RN) over the past 10 years indicated that head injuries resulting from accidents were the leading cause of injuries admitted at the hospital. He observed that the capacity of the country to handle head and spinal injuries was insufficient as there were just a few neurosurgery specialists in the country.

He emphasized that the country’s capacity to handle these injuries is mainly based on neurological specification with very limited resources for neurosurgical care. As the number of head injuries continues to rise, Dr Ansu-Yeboah stressed the importance of enforcing road regulations to reduce accidents while also building the country’s capacity in the field of neurology.