There are 89 000 new cases of traumatic brain injuries recorded per year throughout South Africa, while over 5% of individuals worldwide suffer severe brain damage each year.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), vehicles, motorbikes, and vehicle-pedestrian accidents account for 50% of head injuries, followed by falls (25%), and violent incidents (20%).
The NICD said this ahead of this year’s World Head Injury Awareness Day on Wednesday, where the number of people suffering from head injury-related issues will be examined.
“The purpose of this day is to remind us of how we could reduce accidents and brain injuries if we were mindful,” said the NICD.
“It advocates the correct usage of safety gadgets such as helmets and seat belts, which can prevent damage to the head when one is involved in accident situations.”
Consequences of head injury
It is understood that a head injury can result in a variety of issues, including memory loss, severe paralysis, and even death.
“Head injury can result in damage to the most important part of the central nervous system, our brain.
“This can affect one’s health and well being adversely; even a very small case can result in eventual damage if the correct care and treatment are not issued in time.”
NICD revealed that there are a number of patients who are partially or fully paralysed because they did not wear their helmet on the day of injury.
“It is important to note that your skull doesn’t have to be crushed in order for brain damage to occur.
“Fastening helmets and seat belts while driving can help to reduce the cases of brain and head damage to a large extent. Wearing helmets while playing sports can also assist in reducing the chances of injury to your brain.”
Reports say the wearing of helmets reduces the risk of death by 37% and head injury by 69%.
