Stop stealing from accident victims, Minister advises
Nov 05, 2019
Kaducu advised that instead of stealing from victims, Ugandans should be quick to offer first aid and ensuring that the victims get immediate medical attention.
Dr. Joyce Kaducu, the Minister of State for Primary Healthcare, has asked Ugandans to stop stealing from accident victims.
"Do not steal from accident victims. It is a moment to save lives not to steal," she said while addressing journalists at the Ministry of Health headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala.
Kaducu advised that instead of stealing from victims, Ugandans should be quick to offer first aid and ensuring that the victims get immediate medical attention.
She called on Ugandans to take on training in the basics of first aid so as to be able to offer help in case of an emergency.
"Learn the basics of first aid that can enable you to save a life, and if you are already knowledgeable, get involved in saving lives," she said.
Kaducu also implored passenger vehicle drivers to ensure that the first aid boxes in their cars are fully stocked such that in case of any incident, people can be helped quickly.
Kaducu also used the opportunity to unveil the mass casualty drill that will take place at Kololo Independence grounds on Thursday.
The drill is aimed at assessing the response of institutions to a mass casualty situation, both at the site of the event and the site where medical care is administered using existing inter-institutional emergency and disaster plans and protocol.
Dr. Johnbaptist Waniaye, the commissioner for emergency care services at the ministry, noted that Ugandans do not have to be afraid of helping accident victims.
He explained that in the Traffic and Road Safety Act 1998 (Amendment) Bill, 2018, there is provisions for the good Samaritan law that will protect people who help accident victims get help.
He said once the bill is passed into law, they will make regulations to operationalise it and save good Samaritans from the tedious process of making police statements and answering many queries from medics.
Dr. Annet Alenyo Ngabirano, the President Emergency Care Society of Uganda (ECSU) called schools and employers to ensure that the students and employees, respectively, get the basics of first aid.
Tom Kyobe, President Association of Ambulance Professionals of Uganda, they are drafting the national curriculum on first aid so as to standardize the training in the country.