GULU SAFE ROADS CAMPAIGN PUTS MENTAL HEALTH IN FOCUS

Dr. Eric Ssennuni and Dr. Susan Akwii during the Radio Pacis talk show to create awareness about the campaign.

Biko Rombe

Gulu City

Organizers of the Gulu Safe Roads Campaign 2026 have called for greater attention to the often-overlooked psychological impact of road traffic crashes, saying efforts to improve road safety should go beyond preventing deaths and treating physical injuries to include mental health support for survivors, families and first responders.

The message was delivered during a radio talk show on Radio Pacis on August 3, one of the public awareness activities under the three-month campaign that began at the start of August.

The campaign was spearheaded by GEN Community Health Initiative in partnership with Primary Trauma Care Foundation Northern Uganda Chapter(PTCF-NUC) and other partners seeks to reduce deaths and disabilities from road traffic crashes through public awareness, community engagement and first responder training.

Speaking during the programme, GEN Community Health Initiative Founder and Chief Strategist Dr. Eric Ssennuni said Uganda continues to lose too many lives to preventable road crashes, making road safety a public health and development priority.

He said Uganda records more than 25,000 road traffic crashes every year, translating to an average of 69 crashes every day, while between 10 and 20 people die daily from crash-related injuries.

“We’ve seen the country mobilise against diseases like Ebola and COVID-19, yet road traffic crashes continue to claim lives every single day. If we do nothing, we are preparing to perish,” Dr. Ssennuni said.

He noted that many victims die not because their injuries are unsurvivable, but because help either arrives too late or is not provided correctly during the critical first hour after a crash.

Dr. Eric and Dr. Susan pose for a photo with Radio Pacis presenters after a successful talk show

For this reason, this year’s campaign has adopted the theme “Saving Lives and Limbs in the Golden Hour,” emphasising the importance of immediate action by ordinary community members who are usually the first people to arrive at crash scenes.

“We believe communities can save lives. The first people at an accident scene are rarely doctors or ambulances. They are ordinary citizens, boda boda riders and traffic officers. If they have the right skills, they can prevent deaths and disabilities before victims even reach hospital,” he said.

The campaign, running from August to October, will feature a multidisciplinary community dialogue, the Gulu Safe Roads Bike, Ride and Walk, first responder training for traffic police, boda boda riders and community members, as well as sustained public awareness campaigns on responsible road use.

Dr. Ssennuni said the initiative deliberately brings together transport operators, hospitals, traffic police, local leaders, civil society organisations and community members because improving road safety requires collective responsibility rather than action from the health sector alone.

While the campaign primarily focuses on preventing road crashes and improving emergency response, organisers have this year placed unprecedented emphasis on mental health, arguing that the psychological effects of crashes remain one of the most neglected aspects of road safety.

Clinical psychologist and Wellness International Director Dr. Susan Akwii said many people focus only on visible injuries such as fractures, amputations and disabilities, yet survivors often continue battling invisible psychological trauma long after their physical wounds have healed. “I really applaud GEN Community Health Initiative for integrating mental health into this campaign because it is a very forgotten component of road safety initiatives,” she said.

Dr. Akwii explained that road crashes are sudden, life-altering events that leave many survivors struggling to process what has happened. “We should never make it look like it is a small thing. The physical injuries are real and disturbing, but beyond the physical injuries, people’s mental health is also affected,” she said.

She cited research showing that more than one in four survivors of road traffic crashes develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), making it one of the most common mental health conditions associated with traumatic incidents.

According to her, survivors may remain constantly fearful, struggle to sleep, lose concentration, become hyper vigilant and avoid anything that reminds them of the crash, including vehicles, roads or conversations about accidents.

She explained that when such symptoms occur within the first month after a traumatic event they are generally classified as Acute Stress Disorder, but persistence beyond one month may indicate PTSD requiring professional treatment.

Dr. Akwee said many survivors also experience depression and anxiety after suddenly losing limbs, sustaining permanent disabilities or waking up to discover that their appearance and physical abilities have changed forever.

“Sometimes someone regains consciousness only to realise that a limb has been amputated. Those are sudden changes that permanently alter a person’s life, and they have profound psychological consequences,” she said.

Unlike gradual illnesses that allow people time to adjust emotionally, she said road crashes occur without warning, forcing survivors to cope with life-changing realities almost instantly.

Beyond the physical pain, survivors often struggle with the emotional burden of losing their independence, becoming dependent on relatives for everyday activities and worrying about how their lives and livelihoods will change.

The emotional distress, she warned, can sometimes drive survivors towards alcohol and substance abuse as they search for ways to cope with overwhelming psychological pain.

She added that unresolved trauma frequently affects relationships, with some survivors becoming withdrawn, irritable or prone to anger outbursts that strain family and workplace interactions.

Dr. Akwee stressed that road crashes affect far more than the individual survivor.

Families often shoulder enormous medical expenses while simultaneously providing long-term care for injured relatives, a responsibility she described as emotionally exhausting.

“The caregiving process itself can become traumatizing. Watching someone you love living with severe pain or permanent disability every day places caregivers under tremendous psychological stress,” she said.

Where crashes result in death, she said families are often left struggling with overwhelming grief because road traffic fatalities occur suddenly, leaving little opportunity for emotional preparation.

She noted that prolonged grief can itself become a mental health condition requiring professional support if it persists for an extended period.

Dr. Akwee also highlighted the psychological burden carried by first responders, healthcare workers, journalists and communities that repeatedly witness fatal crashes.

Communities living near accident hotspots, she said, are continually exposed to scenes of death and severe injury, increasing their risk of developing trauma-related disorders, anxiety, depression and burnout.

She further cautioned against the growing circulation of graphic crash images and videos on social media, saying repeated exposure to such content can deepen psychological distress for survivors and the wider public.

Calling for stronger government action, Dr. Akwee urged policymakers to integrate mental health into road safety programmes and national policy frameworks instead of focusing exclusively on physical injuries.

“A person may lose a leg and still remain productive if they receive the necessary support. But when mental health is affected, concentration, judgment and decision-making suffer, reducing productivity for individuals and the nation,” she said.

She also encouraged communities to provide psychological first aid immediately after crashes by reassuring survivors that they are safe, helping them remain calm and addressing their immediate needs rather than asking them to repeatedly recount what happened.

Current evidence, she said, discourages forcing survivors to relive traumatic experiences immediately after an incident because doing so may worsen psychological harm.

Instead, families should monitor survivors during recovery and seek professional mental health care if symptoms such as persistent fear, nightmares, anxiety or avoidance continue beyond the expected recovery period.

The organisers have invited members of the public to participate in the campaign activities throughout August, September and October, saying safer roads require the collective efforts of road users, transport operators, health professionals, law enforcement agencies and policymakers alike.