The scourge of head injury among commercial motorcycle riders in Kampala; a preventable clinical and public health menace

Kamulegeya, Louis H.; Kizito, Mark; Nassali, Rosemary; Bagayana, Shiela; Elobu, Alex E

doi:10.4314/ahs.v15i3.41

Cited by 29 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…Some road users are vulnerable to RTIs largely because of their own reckless actions or inactions. Pedestrians and passengers, however, are commonly much more vulnerable to becoming innocent victims of RTIs compared to other road users [7–10, 36–38]. The riders and passengers of the 2 wheeler Boda-bodas (commercial motorcycles) have also increasingly become vulnerable to RTIs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Factors affecting the exposure, vulnerability and emergency medical service capacity for victims of road traffic incidents in Kampala Metropolitan Area: a Delphi study

et al. 2016

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BackgroundThe Kampala Metropolitan Area (KMA) is the fastest developing region in Uganda. Over recent years, this has placed exponential demand on the road sector, which consequently has contributed to rapid growth in motorized vehicles which, predisposes the region to a high risk of road traffic incidents (RTIs). A number of concerted road safety and post-crash management measures to respond to RTIs in the KMA in particular and Uganda as a whole have been undertaken. However, there is a need to greatly improve the measures by better identifying the factors influencing the exposure, vulnerability and emergency medical service (EMS) capacity for RTI victims. The present study seeks to investigate and reveal these factors.MethodsA Delphi technique employing a questionnaire and involving a multidisciplinary panel of experts was used in three rounds.ResultsThe ten (10) most important factors affecting the exposure, vulnerability and EMS capacity for victims of RTIs in the KMA were identified. Socio-cultural, infrastructure and road safety aspects were the factors most identified as affecting the exposure and vulnerability. The absence of a national EMS policy and post-crash care system, as well as the fact that many victims lack health insurance, were noted to be the factors adversely affecting the EMS capacity.ConclusionsThere exists is a real need to substantially reduce the burden of RTIs in KMA, with ultimate goal of saving lives that are being lost needlessly and reducing the impact of injuries and trauma and the economic losses associated with it. This study offers insights into the causes of RTIs and the most appropriate ways of responding to them especially with the establishment and empowerment of predefined and structured EMS systems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of recent, the numbers of Boda-bodas have been exponentially rising to the point that it now predominates the public transport system of the KMA and Uganda [3, 24, 36, 38, 39]. They are mainly manned by the youths who seek to make-ends-meet.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting the exposure, vulnerability and emergency medical service capacity for victims of road traffic incidents in Kampala Metropolitan Area: a Delphi study

et al. 2016

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“…Under Uganda's Traffic and Road Safety (Motorcycles) Regulations, all motorcyclists and their passengers have been required, since 2004, to wear crash helmets while operating the vehicle [34]. However, as multiple studies have shown, adherence to helmet use is far from ideal [5,14,25]. This pattern of nonadherence is especially worrisome, given the increasing involvement of boda bodas in RTIs.…”

Section: Motorcycle Helmet Usage In Ugandamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unfortunately, there is poor helmet usage among boda boda drivers. Various studies of Ugandan emergency departments have shown only 18.6% to 22% of motorcyclists wore helmets [5,14]. Given the serious cost of RTIs and the relatively low cost of helmets, this discrepancy reflects an important area that public health should address.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Boda Bodas and Road Traffic Injuries in Uganda: An Overview of Traffic Safety Trends from 2009 to 2017

Vaca

Feng

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Introduction: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are an important contributor to the morbidity and mortality of developing countries. In Uganda, motorcycle taxis, known as boda bodas, are responsible for a growing proportion of RTIs. This study seeks to evaluate and comment on traffic safety trends from the past decade. Methods: Traffic reports from the Ugandan police force (2009 to 2017) were analyzed for RTI characteristics. Furthermore, one month of casualty ward data in 2015 and 2018 was collected from the Mulago National Referral Hospital and reviewed for casualty demographics and trauma type. Results: RTI motorcycle contribution rose steadily from 2009 to 2017 (24.5% to 33.9%). While the total number of crashes dropped from 22,461 to 13,244 between 2010 and 2017, the proportion of fatal RTIs increased from 14.7% to 22.2%. In the casualty ward, RTIs accounted for a greater proportion of patients and traumas in 2018 compared to 2015 (10%/41% and 36%/64%, respectively). Conclusions: Although RTIs have seen a gross reduction in Uganda, they have become more deadly, with greater motorcycle involvement. Hospital data demonstrate a rising need for trauma and neurosurgical care to manage greater RTI patient burden. Combining RTI prevention and care pathway improvements may mitigate current RTI trends.

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“…One [22]. But while this problem affects all of Kampala's residents equally, SafeBoda's appbased approach, borrowed from Uber, is unlikely to attract many customers save development workers or those from very elite backgrounds.…”

Section: Learning the Wrong Lessonsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Space of Possibilities

Csíkszentmihályi¹,

Mukundane

Rodrigues³

et al. 2018

Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

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HCI researchers work within spaces of possibility for potential designs of technology. New methods (for example, user centrism); expected types of interaction (user with device); and potential applications (urban navigation) can extend the boundaries of these possibilities. However, structural and systemic factors can also foreclose them. A recent wide and shallow survey of over 116 individuals involved in technology development across 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa reveals how factors of political economy significantly impact upon technological possibilities. Monopolies, international power dynamics, race, and access to capital open or constrain technological possibilities at least as much as device-centric or user-focused constraints do. Though their thrust may have been anticipated by reference to political economic trends, the structural constraints we found were underestimated by technologists even a decade ago. We discuss the implications for technology development in Africa and beyond.

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The scourge of head injury among commercial motorcycle riders in Kampala; a preventable clinical and public health menace

Cited by 29 publications

References 14 publications

Factors affecting the exposure, vulnerability and emergency medical service capacity for victims of road traffic incidents in Kampala Metropolitan Area: a Delphi study

Factors affecting the exposure, vulnerability and emergency medical service capacity for victims of road traffic incidents in Kampala Metropolitan Area: a Delphi study

Boda Bodas and Road Traffic Injuries in Uganda: An Overview of Traffic Safety Trends from 2009 to 2017

The Space of Possibilities

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