Mohammad Ashraf Ali, Rao Ahsanur Rahman Khan, Saeed Ahmad Mian, Syed Ijlal Haider Rizvi, Khalid Aziz.
A study of road traffic injuries inflicted to pedestrians in the urban limits of Bahawalpur City.
J Fatima Jinnah Med Coll Lahore Jan ;1(1-2):2-6.

Objective: The primary objective was to collect a database for the newly established trauma center, and to document the changed traffic scenario resulting from the ban imposed on the plying of cycle rickshaws in Bahawalpur City. Study Design: It was a prospective study, which was carried out on 12098 cases of different types of injuries, inflicted to pedestrians, involved in road traffic accidents, who reported in the trauma center of B.V. Hospital Bahawalpur. Place and duration of study: This study was carried out in the Department of Accident & Emergency, B.V. Hospital / Q.A.M.C. Bahawalpur, from January 1996 till August 1999. Subject & Methods: Only the pedestrians, involved in road traffic accidents were included in this study, thereby excluding all other injured people. Their data, such as Name, Age, Gender, along with the nature, location and severity of the injuries, was transferred from the hard copy onto especially designed tables on a day-to-day basis. The injuries were classified under the main headings comprising of Fractures, Dislocations, Sprains and Strains, Intra-cranial and internal injuries and Open wounds. Results: The results revealed that there was a sustained increase which averaged 5% annually in the number of road traffic injuries, inflicted to the pedestrians and road users. Dislocations, sprains and strain were the most common injuries suffered by pedestrians within the sprawling urban limits of Bahawalpur City. The study revealed that the majority of injuries 64% occurred in the age group below 30 years. There was a definite propensity of male pedestrians being afflicted as compared to females the ratio being 63:37 in favour of males. The lower limbs were the most commonly affected site (35%). Conclusion: It was concluded from this study that in the changed traffic scenario, the number of injured pedestrians are bound to increase many fold in the future, therefore this situation necessitates the setup of a modern trauma center in this divisional metropolis, so as to save precious human lives and to cater for this increase in the coming years.

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