Marked rise in road accident deaths, disability cases, reveals Nimhans data

BENGALURU: The city is witnessing a rise in accident cases and number of patients with head injuries has increased significantly, data from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) has revealed.

Between 2017 and 2022, Nimhans has witnessed a total of 76,883 road accident cases. As per the analysis, the number of deaths due to severe head injuries and also various types of disabilities are increasing. On an average, 150 cases are registered at Nimhans every month and about 1,800 cases in Bengaluru annually.

According to Dr Goutham M S, surgeon at Nimhans, the reasons for the increasing number of head injuries in accident cases are as follows:

Increased number of two-wheelers.

Less use of ISI standard helmets, whereas half helmets are used widely.

Rash driving, violating one-way rule, jumping traffic signals, riding without helmet, using mobile phone while riding/driving, performing wheelies, driving without seat belt, drunken driving.

Another major issue, which he pointed out, is that there are very few hospitals that treat head injuries. There are less number of neurosurgeons available and there are less facilities like CT scan, MRI scan, available in hospitals. Also, not all general surgeons are trained for managing head injuries in road accident cases.

Dr Goutham M S suggested that the police should enforce wearing of ISI standard helmets for motorists.

The doctor suggested that the police should make it compulsory for two-wheeler riders to wear ISI standard helmets. “District and taluk hospitals and nursing homes on the outskirts of the city should be upgraded to at least ‘Level 2’ , ‘Level 3’. If the doctors are trained to treat head injury patients, the number of admissions at Nimhans will come down”.

He further said, “There is a need for traumatic brain injury surveillance. A hospital-based traumatic brain injury surveillance system should be developed to get weekly, monthly, yearly report of brain injuries”.