“Untold sufferings have been brought to bear on the lives of far too many people by the irresponsible behaviour and misuse of Guyana’s roads,” a statement from the Health Ministry observed.

It urged the Home Affairs Ministry to ensure the present laws are fully enforced and new regulations implemented to reduce recklessness on the roadways, injuries and loss of lives.

“We urge all Guyanese to stand united with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police as efforts are being made to improve use of our roads.

“We are aware that many lives have been lost and families and friends have forever been traumatised by accidental deaths and injuries on our roads.

“One only has to witness the almost daily manifestation of the trauma of ‘Mothers in Black’ to know that the loss is forever. Just as important, thousands of people who survive accidents remain affected for life. These are personal, family, community and national tragedies,” the statement added.

It said Health Ministry provides support also because the health sector has been especially affected.

“The health sector bears considerable economic and resource burdens for accidents because a considerable amount of the sector’s scare resources - physical, human and supply - is utilised in dealing with the physical and psychological injuries of victims of road accidents.

“The burden to provide care also extends to the dealing with psychological trauma experienced by relatives, friends and employees of the health sector,” the statement pointed out.

It added that the vast majority of accident victims, access treatment and care from public health institutions, such as clinics and hospitals, especially the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GHPC).

“The Accident and Emergencies and the Operating Rooms (ORs) are constantly being challenged by having to deal with accidents that are completely preventable.

The Ministry of Health said a good example of the consequence of accidents is that many persons scheduled for surgery at the GHPC are often sent back to the wards or home because the ORs are occupied as doctors have to deal with accident victims.

More than 54 per cent of the surgeries done at GHPC are emergencies, mainly due to road accidents.

“Consider the enormous cost of operating an OR, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and surgical wards with skilled nursing and medical staff in order to deal with accident victims and one will immediately see how the economic situation and the country’s ability to provide adequate health care can be negatively impacted,” the statement posited.