Chokotho Linda, Mulwafu Wakisa, Singini Isaac, Njalale Yasin, Jacobsen Kathryn H
Beit Cure Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi.
World J Emerg Med. 2017;8(2):85-90. doi: 10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2017.02.001.
The mortality rate from road traffic injuries has increased in sub-Saharan Africa as the number of motor vehicles increase. This study examined the capacity of hospitals along Malawi's main north-south highway to provide emergency trauma care.
Structured interviews and checklists were used to evaluate the infrastructure, personnel, supplies, and equipment at all four of Malawi's central hospitals, ten district hospitals, and one mission hospital in 2014. Most of these facilities are along the main north-south highway that spans the country.
Between July 2013 and March 2014, more than 9 200 road traffic injuries (RTIs) and 100 RTI deaths were recorded by the participating hospitals. All of the hospitals reported staff shortages, especially during nights and weekends. Few clinicians had completed formal training in emergency trauma management, and healthcare workers reported gaps in knowledge and skills, especially at district hospitals. Most central hospitals had access to the critical supplies and medications necessary for trauma care, but district hospitals lacked some of the supplies and equipment needed for diagnosis, treatment, and personal protection.
The mortality and disability burden from road traffic injuries in Malawi (and other low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa) can be reduced by ensuring that every central and district hospital has a dedicated trauma unit with qualified staff who have completed primary trauma care courses and have access to the equipment necessary to save lives.
随着撒哈拉以南非洲地区机动车数量的增加，道路交通伤害的死亡率也在上升。本研究调查了马拉维主要南北公路沿线医院提供紧急创伤护理的能力。
2014年，采用结构化访谈和清单对马拉维的四家中心医院、十家地区医院和一家教会医院的基础设施、人员、物资和设备进行评估。这些设施大多位于贯穿该国的主要南北公路沿线。
在2013年7月至2014年3月期间，参与研究的医院记录了9200多起道路交通伤害（RTIs）事件和100例RTIs死亡病例。所有医院均报告人员短缺，尤其是在夜间和周末。很少有临床医生完成过紧急创伤管理方面的正规培训，医护人员报告称在知识和技能方面存在差距，尤其是在地区医院。大多数中心医院能够获得创伤护理所需的关键物资和药物，但地区医院缺乏诊断、治疗和个人防护所需的一些物资和设备。
通过确保每家中心医院和地区医院都设有专门的创伤科室，配备完成初级创伤护理课程的合格工作人员，并提供拯救生命所需的设备，可以降低马拉维（以及撒哈拉以南非洲其他低收入国家）道路交通伤害造成的死亡率和残疾负担。
