Mangaluru: Center for Health & Devt to launch Project Zero - Towards Injury-free India

- Media Release

Mangaluru, 06 Mar 2015: Center for Health and Development will be rolling out Project Zero – towards an injury free India in collaboration with intellectuals from different walks of life, colleges, universities, corporate and media.  

 

Dr Edmond Fernandes, a social medicine activist working in Injury prevention and Disaster Risk Reduction will be the Lead Influencer for Project Zero.

 

Professor P L Dharma, department of political science and director of student welfare, Mangalore University will be the key advisor and facilitator. This is a movement towards creating an injury free DK district along with achieving the target for zero deaths.

 

 

 

Project Zero has been taken up on a serious note by Mangalore University Student Council leaders Punith Bhat and Shashikant Shetty and talks are on with other institutes to join the movement. Signature Campaign across DK District will be rolled up, road shows, musical evenings and bands will join the cause. This is an appeal to every responsible citizen of India to join and pledge road safety in mind and body, heart and soul. Every day around 3,600 people die on the world’s roads. The road traffic injuries affect the rich, the poor, and the middle class not sparing anyone. The difference is it happens at the moment we do not expect.

 

Tens and thousands die on Indian roads and much more spend weeks together in hospital. Many among them are disabled for life and life is never the same again. Present efforts to address the issue, to enforce law and to deliver post crash treatment is minimal. The burden and impact of a death or a disabled life puts great amount of pressure on the family. Economic loss creates another impact difficult to balance. Young adults in the age bracket of 15-46 usually are the most affected. Last year around more than 400 road traffic injuries were recorded in DK. Under reporting is also very high. We are at that moment in time where the responsibility to create and secure a safer future rests upon us. Let us not remain indifferent travelers in this important cause. We might have met with an accident ourselves, or perhaps we might also know our friends who would have at some point met with crashes fatal or non fatal. Can we and should we continue to ignore it then? Safe and slow driving, road manners, wearing helmet, seat belt and other necessary precautions need to be met as a discipline. The enforcement officials cannot do everything for us without our conscience committing to safe driving. Join the movement, call your neighbors, put up posters, hoardings and install slogans all over the district. You are important, you are precious, and you matter!!

 

‘The true meaning of life is to commit to road safety and secure accident free zones for generations to come after.’ – Dr Edmond Fernandes.