Kampala, 21 May, 2015:- The United Nations Global Road Safety Campaign was launched in Kampala at the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office with a call to parents to play a key role in safeguarding their children’s lives on roads. The theme of the campaign is “Save kids’ lives”.

The Minister of State (MOH) for Health in charge of Primary Health Care Hon. Sarah Opendi, launched the campaign and highlighted the need to reduce the road carnage. She said that MOH will work closely with partners and stakeholders to ensure that road safety gets the attention it deserves. She urged parents to be vigilant because the safety of their children begins with them. She revealed that that the government was developing a national ambulance service that will be key in helping accident victims.

Dr. Solomon Fisseha who represented WHO at the function highlighted the importance of the campaign noting that is a major global milestone in the implementation of activities under the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.    He added that this action plan was developed through a consultative process and identifies the key priority areas to improve road safety.

Dr Fisseha emphasized the importance of a UN General Assembly resolution on “Improving global road safety” that was adopted on 10 April 2014.  Key issues in this resolution are: the agreement to include road safety in the Post-2015 Development Agenda; the consensus for WHO to continue monitoring progress in implementing priority activities under the Decade of Action; and the request to organize the Third UN Global Road Safety Week in 2015 on children and road safety.  Dr Fisseha committed WHO’s continued support to the government by providing technical guidance in all these global commitments.

The United Nations Global Road Safety week was endorsed by governments through a United Nations General Assembly resolution. It is an important platform for focused advocacy during which global, regional and national events involving governments, civil society, foundations, academia and the private sector are organized. As a milestone event on the global road safety calendar, the UN Global Road Safety week gives added impetus to the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 whose goal is stabilizing and then reducing the forecast deaths due to road traffic crashes.

In Uganda, a series of countrywide activities targeting children in primary and secondary schools, will be held during the week of 25th to 30th May 2015 in  Buikwe, Lugazi, Iganga, Masaka, Kampala, Kasese, Jinja, Nakasongola, Gulu, Ibanda and Wakiso districts. The objective is to highlight the plight of children on the world’s roads, generate action to better ensure their safety, and promote the inclusion of safe and sustainable transportation in the Post- 2015 Development Agenda for the country.

The campaign aims to reach at least 4,320 children in the ten districts. Sixteen zebra crossings will be painted and 320 teachers will be trained in road safety techniques through Road Safety Teacher Sessions (REST)

Role of World Health Organization in Road Safety 

WHO provides guidelines that highlight good practice in road traffic injury prevention and supports governments to implement the suggested strategies or policies. Capacity within countries is developed through the implementation of guidelines as well as through direct training in different areas of injury prevention. Uganda will participate in an international training program on trauma care system that will take place in Tanzania in June 2015.

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For more information, please contact:

Mwebembezi Edmond, Public Information Officer
Tel.: +256 414 335569
Cell: +256 782 962674
Email: mwembembezie [at] who.int

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Below:

01. Dr. Solomon Fisseha WHO delivers his remarks at the launch

02. Hon. Opendi signs on the banner to re-affirm government’s commitment to the road safety declaration as Lohana pupil Sonia Malik and Dr. Fisseha Solomon WHO look on

03. Participants at the media launch at WHO Country office