When Lagos State Government restricted the movement of commercial motorcyclists in some parts of the metropolis, many perceived the action as harsh. It sparked reactions from the public. The government said the restriction stemmed from one of the provisions of the new Traffic Law. The action is yielding dividends as hospital records show that emergencies and admissions from motorcycle accidents have reduced drastically. WALE ADEPOJU writes.
Before the restriction of their operations in parts of Lagos State, it was common to find many commercial motorcycle operators or their patrons in hospitals following accidents. In most cases, the accidents were serious, with victims suffering broken limbs. Some even lost their limbs.
It was pathetic seeing many in the casualty ward, especially at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, with hanged limbs or swaddled in plaster. This is gradually becoming history following a drop in such accidents. According to findings, this trend has changed to the relief of doctors and nurses. Medics and paramedics at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) are savouring the moment as accident and emergency (A and E) wards have less worry.
At the NOHIL Casualty Building/Ward and its Health Record Department (HRD) it was learnt that motorcycle-related emergencies have reduced by about 80 per cent.
A hospital record keeper, who preferred anonymity, said no fewer than 10 motorcycle-related accidents were brought to the casualty ward daily in the past.
The source said now the hospital, sometimes, doesn’t receive more than one motorcycle accident in a day or two, describing it as a positive development.
The findings also showed that about 50 per cent of those involved in the accidents were usually transferred from either the casualty ward or the A&E to the wards.
At the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Surgical Emergency Department, the story is the same.
A doctor said admissions of fatalities caused by motorcycle accidents have gone down.
He said other casualties from car and domestic accidents were brought to the Surgical Emergency Department but only few motorcyclists were brought in the last one month.
Motorcycle accidents have reduced, according to the Medical Guild Chairman, Dr Olumuyiwa Odusote, who described it as a positive development.
He said the traffic law has brought sanity to road users.
Odusote agreed that accidents happen daily but those from motorcycles have reduced for some reasons. First, the state government has confiscated many motorcycles and secondly, only a handful of the operators are still plying the streets.
“Motorcycle related admissions appear to have reduced but accidents generally are still occurring. But those that are directly related to Okada have obviously reduced,” Odusote added.
An administrative officer at NOHIL, Mrs Nike Ayo said motorcycle-related casualties brought to the hospital have reduced drastically.
She said the issue had become a serious concern in the past for the hospital but the story has changed since the ban came into effect.
