Experts are warning of an escalating injury crisis in Ghana, with road crash injuries costing the country an estimated 8.2% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
According to Global Burden of Disease data, more than 72 people per 100,000 population suffer serious bodily injuries annually. The burden includes road traffic crashes, workplace accidents and domestic injuries.
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Ambulance Service, Dr George Kwadwo Owusu, revealed that road traffic injuries alone cost the country approximately $6.7 million each year.
He disclosed this at a two-day conference organised by the KNUST Centre for Injury Prevention and Research at the College of Health Sciences in Kumasi.
Dr Owusu described injuries as a “silent epidemic” ravaging the country at a pace that has outstripped response efforts.
“There is a disease that exists called injury. It is ravaging our nation in ways we have been too slow to confront, and road traffic injuries remain the primary driver,” he said.
According to him, more than 60% of road traffic fatalities involve people under the age of 35, affecting the country’s workforce, students and future generations.
“More than 60% of road traffic fatalities strike people under 35 years of age — our workforce, our students and our future,” he stressed.
Dr Owusu emphasised that tackling the crisis requires not only emergency medical care but also stronger prevention measures and improved data collection systems.
He further called on government to support researchers in translating research findings into practical interventions to reduce injuries before they occur.
The conference was held under the theme: “Nipping Ghana’s Injury Menace in the Bud — Harnessing Evidence from Local Research.”
Provost of the College of Health Sciences and Chairman of the Injury Conference, Professor Christian Agyare, also stressed the need for prevention and early intervention rather than reactive measures.
“Nipping in the bud is not managing, coping or reacting, but preventing and intervening at the root before the flower of tragedy fully blooms,” he said.
Professor Agyare noted that injuries continue to impose a heavy burden on families, communities and the national economy, particularly at a time of fiscal challenges.
“Injuries are not freak events. They are predictable and preventable. Yet across our nation, communities and families, they continue to exact a devastating toll by claiming young lives, disabling productive citizens and straining a national budget already under pressure,” he stated.
He identified road traffic crashes, drowning, burns, falls and workplace injuries as a growing public health emergency that requires a coordinated and sustained national response.
The conference brought together researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals and emergency responders to discuss evidence-based strategies for injury prevention and control in Ghana.
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