Blantyre, November 30: Minister of Transport and Public Works Francis Kasaila said Malawi needs vibrant multi-sectoral approach on its road safety.
In Malawi, road accidents killed 1060 people in 2014 and injured 975 which he said pose a global public health crisis which requires action.
Kasaila was speaking at Nyambadwe Ground in Ndirande on Sunday during this year’s Africa road safety day commemorations held under the theme: ‘Passengers, be responsible for your safety on the road’ and is aimed at raising awareness to all passengers in the country.
The day encourages countries to identify areas of concern in terms of road traffic safety as it highlights the need to protect vulnerable road users such pedestrians and cyclists.
Said Kasaila” Road crashes have silently taken more lives than most of the illnesses we talk more like Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
“It is estimated that annual total road accidents to our economy is more that 3 percent of our gross domestic product (GDP) and since 2012, 3228 passengers have been killed in Malawi.
“This means that road safety is indeed a health problem and very significant to our health care resources. Therefore, I want to remind all Malawians that we need heavy participation to fight road accidents, not only from government but also from civil societies, the private sector, the faith community and the media.
The Minister said gone is the time when people thought fighting road crashes is only the responsibility of the Traffic Police and the department of road traffic and safety services.
Meanwhile, Kasaila has urged road traffic department to intensify checks on the road of Malawi in order to reduce accidents that continue to claim lives of Malawians.
During the function, Kasaila also launched National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) for 2015-2020) that will act as a guide on how the Department of Road Traffic and Safety Services should work in the coming five years.
Director of Road Traffic and Safety Services Jacques Manong’a has since urged passengers to be responsible for their safety saying they have a right to choose a safer mode of transport.
“This year’s theme is targeting passenger because we wants them to know that they have the right to intervene in instances where their life is in danger.
“Above all as road traffic we are ensuring that Malawi should have well qualified and licensed drivers operating on roads who are driving well certified vehicles,” said Manong’a.
Manong’a then said is optimistic that his department will continue to reduce road traffic accidents and fatalities due to road traffic collisions.
For three years now, Malawi has joined the rest of the Africa in commemorating the Africa Road Safety Day, aday set aside in 2012 by the African Union Assembly and the United Nations as a day for raising awareness of roads safety issues as well as remembering accidents victims.
In 2013 Malawi launched the Africa Road Safety Day commemoration with a theme “ Road Safety is Everyone’s responsibility.
