Stakeholders pledge to protect Ghana's children from preventable injuries

Stakeholders in Ghana have called for a unified national strategy to combat preventable childhood injuries, emphasizing the critical need for government, schools, health institutions, parents, and communities to prioritize child safety. This urgent plea emerged from the Child Health and Safety Stakeholder Engagement Workshop, hosted by CHSO in collaboration with Ridge Hospital and SOS Children's Village in Tema. The event, held to mark the Day of the African Child under the theme "Protecting Children Through Awareness, Education and Prevention," gathered diverse representatives to tackle a significant, yet often overlooked, public health challenge.

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This movement was born from one painful realization, that many childhood injuries are not accidents; they are preventable events.

Samuel Frimpong, Founder of CHSO, shared the personal tragedy that fueled the organization's mission, stating, "This movement was born from one painful realization, that many childhood injuries are not accidents; they are preventable events." He highlighted the disparity between workplace safety focus and the lack of basic safety education for children. Frimpong stressed that child safety extends beyond medical treatment, encompassing education and advocating for a shift from a reactive to a preventive culture through CHSO's "Safety Sense Framework."

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Child safety is not simply a medical issue; it is an education issue.

Dr. Abigail Amankwa-Boateng, a Consultant Paediatrician at Ridge Hospital, urged attendees to reframe childhood injuries as predictable and preventable. She identified burns, poisoning, drowning, falls, and road traffic crashes as leading causes in Ghana. "The true measure of our success as a health system is not how many injuries we treat, but how many we prevent," she asserted, advocating for enhanced injury surveillance, integration of safety education into school curricula, and a national prevention strategy.

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The true measure of our success as a health system is not how many injuries we treat, but how many we prevent.

Dr. Hilda Mantebea Boye, President of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, pointed to gaps in awareness, supervision, and safety systems as root causes. "Preventing injuries requires coordinated action before, during and after risk exposure," she stated. Mrs. Stellastina Appiah, Vice Principal of Angels Specialist School International, shared practical concerns from the education sector, including unsafe play, inadequate supervision, and bullying, underscoring the need for comprehensive safety measures within school environments.

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Preventing injuries requires coordinated action before, during and after risk exposure.