Data from the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Tamale Teaching hospital indicate that the Unit records about 20 to 25 cases of head injury daily.
Out of this number, about 5 to 10 patients have conditions that are serious enough to require emergency surgery while others suffer from irreversible brain damage.
A Medical Officer, at the Neurosurgery Unit of the Tamale Teaching Hospital Dr. Amadu Munira, who disclosed this to GBC News said nearly 50 percent of patients in the accident and emergency unit were involved in a road traffic accidents or another form without a crash helmet.
Dr. Amadu said the situation is alarming and advised motor riders to endeavour to wear helmets since the cost involved in treating a head injury with its related effect is far more expensive than that of a crash helmet.
Dr. Amadu Munira said this in relation to a forty-year-old revenue collector at Kongo in the Nabdam District of the Upper East region who suffered a brain injury due to a motor accident.
He needs 9,200 Ghana cedis to settle his hospital bills after he was diagnosed with BILATERAL SUBDURAL HEMATOMA, due to a brain injury.
Mark Nagroubil, who was not on a crash helmet on the day of the accident suffered, a life-threatening condition that compelled doctors to urgently perform surgery on him to save his life.
Dr. Amadu said the effect of the severe head injury is irreversible brain damage which undoubtedly goes a long way to affect the body system.
Dr. Amadu advised the public not to take the use of crash helmets for granted because it makes a difference during accidents.
Story file by: Joyce Kantam Kolamong
