The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is held on the third Sunday of November each year to remember those who died or were injured from road crashes and the plight of their loved ones who must cope with the consequences of their deaths or injuries. Remembrance services and flower-laying ceremonies are held in memory of dead road victims around the world on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Police officers, associations supporting families of road victims, governments and communities unite families and friends of those who died or were injured from road traffic crashes in promoting the day through various activities.
World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims Commemoration by SNA and U.S Embassy
The U.S. Embassy in partnership with Save the Nation Association commemorated the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims at Menelik II Hospital on November 20, 2017. During the event different representatives from Federal Police Commission, Addis Ababa Police Commission, School traffic students and Director/representative, Medical Doctors, Nurses, Road Traffic victims and others had participated.
Beginning of the WDoR Commemoration
The event was started by Mr. Gedion Mamo, PAS Program Specialist by having the opening speech and he welcomed the guests and stated that the day was the international day of commemorating of the world traffic victims and it is memorized in third Sunday of November each year and he added that here the participants were constituted from Schools, Addis Ababa and Federal Traffic Police, Menilik II Hospital Medical Director. Then he shortly explained that road traffic victims who were in the bed would be visited by U.S Embassy PAS counselor and the invited guests and after that there would be speech on road traffic injury situation in Ethiopia.
Road Traffic Victims Visiting at Menilik II Referral Hospital
Visiting road traffic victims at Menilik II Referral Hospital who were at bed and attending medication and treatment had been conducted. During the visit U.S. Public Affairs Counselor David Kennedy, discussed with medical Doctor about the treatment of the victims and also empowered the victims by wishing them faster cure.
Speech done by MR. DAVID KENNEDY U.S. Public Affairs Counselor David Kennedy,
During the event, Mr. Kennedy highlighted the U.S. Embassy’s efforts to reduce road traffic accidents by supporting SNA to provide road safety training programs for elementary school students and to install road traffic safety sign billboards for prevention task. He also appreciated traffic police, emergency medical workers in the hospitals, and law enforcement bodies. Furthermore, he recommended the collaborative task among different sectors and stated that the U.S Embassy would continue assisting road traffic injury in the future.
Speech done by Dr. Shimelis, Medical Director of Menelik II Hospital
Dr. Shimelis, Medical Director of Menelik II Hospital explained that road traffic injury has high expense over the resources of the emergency unit of the hospital. He described that the hospital is in need of different equipments and stated that U.S Embassy would be potential partner in facilitating these aid. Finally, he stated that the hospital would continue providing medical treatments for victims of road traffic accidents and added that the need for collaboration among concerned stakeholders to mitigate road traffic accident victims.
Speech done by Deputy Inspector Dereje, Federal Police Commission
Federal police Commission Traffic Police Deputy Inspector Dereje explained that in reducing road traffic injury the involvement of different non-government, government and private sectors and school communities and especially those students trained on traffic safety are vital in mitigating the road traffic injury. As a unique step towards the prevention of road traffic injury he appreciated SNA and US Embassy collaboration efforts stating road traffic safety projects implemented at schools and community. Furthermore, he described the need for the engagements of other partners to involve and assist in making safe roads in Addis Ababa and throughout the country. In the previous projects implemented by SNA with the aid of U.S Embassy PAS more than 20,000 students from 15 Addis Ababa elementary schools participated in the road traffic safety awareness campaign and 75 School Traffic Students are serving their communities since the launch of efforts to improve traffic safety in 2013.
Speech done by Mesganaw Bimrew, SNA Executive Director
Mr. Mesganaw Bimrew had explained that World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims had been held here for the second time remembering in the same way as last year it was commemorated at U.S Embassy in Addis Ababa. He explained how he was motivated to work on road safety project. He added that U.S Embassy is providing support in the reduction of road traffic injury in Addis Ababa elementary schools by providing financial assistance for road safety campaigns and installing prevention road safety billboards and he appreciated the effort of US Embassy in Addis Ababa.
- Best practices
- We were able to address road traffic injury awareness to Ethiopia people and over the world by memorizing the world day of road traffic victims and disseminate information and education through social medias ( facebook, twitter and website) about road traffic injury.
