ECONOMYNEXT – As many as 12,000 Sri Lankans a year die from accidents, with up to 3,000 after hospitalization, and a million people seek medical care each year after falls, car crashes, animal bites and deliberate bodily harm, a statement said.
Accidents were identified as the leading cause of hospitalization in the country, the statement by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media said.
It is estimated that the number of medical visits due to accidents is approximately 3 million per year.
Accidents were also identified as a major cause of disability and death.
Many of these dangers could have been prevented with a little awareness, according to the statement released to mark National Accident Prevention Week from July 7 to 11.
“Accidents have devastating long-term effects not only on the victims but also on other family members and society at large.
“If appropriate measures are not taken to prevent accidents, the problem of accidents is expected to become even more serious in the coming decades due to rapid changes in lifestyle due to urbanization, mechanization and the development of infrastructure.”
Most victims are of productive age (15 to 44 years).
“The country loses because of this.”
A significant percentage of the annual budget allocated for health is spent on treating accident victims, it said.
“Accidents have a very serious impact on the overall development, economic growth and productivity of the country.
Of the roughly 145,000 deaths in Sri Lanka annually, about 8 percent or about 10,000-12,000 people die from accidents in Sri Lanka, the ministry said.
About 25-27 percent of those admitted to government hospitals for inpatient treatment are admitted to receive treatment for fall-related injuries.
About 70 percent receiving treatment for accidents in the outpatient department are due to being bitten by animals.
About 2,500 lives are lost every year due to road accidents.
More than 3,000 people commit suicide every year.
Still others lose their lives due to falls, drowning, ingestion of various substances, animal bites, animal attacks and violence, and murder.
More than 50 percent of the reported accidents occur in the home or surroundings, while about 25 percent are on the road.
“Data shows that various dangers lurk in every place we frequent on a daily basis, but many of them can be prevented by being careful.”
Although almost all accidents can be prevented, a lack of knowledge, failure to follow proper safety measures, lack of adherence to routines, carelessness, lack of first aid skills and deficiencies in transporting patients, adverse environmental conditions, and deficiencies in equipment such as vehicles and other machines hinder this. (Colombo/Jul7/2025)
