<<Print>>

Last week, it was reported that at least 85 people had died in Ghana from the outbreak of pneumococcal meningitis.

Earlier on, a government health official had said there was no cause for alarm! How many people have to die before alarm bells go off? In this matter, this disease is known as one that shows up with the onset of harmattan.

Though the current strain of the disease is said to be "different", it could not have taken our health officials by surprise. It happens every year.

So when will we organize regular prevention activities? When will we place a high value on Ghanaian lives?

Which brings to fore the matter of death by road accidents in Ghana. Here it is almost as if we have become hardened, resigned, used to and taken road accidents as a normal part of life.

Every week, our media houses feature report after report of road accidents and resultant deaths. Sometimes over 20 people die from one road accident and nothing is heard from transportation and other government officials.

No alarm. Is Ghanaian life that cheap to be taken for granted in this way? Where is the analysis of cause? What do we do to drivers who cause these accidents?

What should we do to government officials who have responsibility for design, construction and maintenance of roads that are safe?

We must put pressure on government to stop bad drivers from going back behind the wheel of any vehicle. It means tightening the drivers license process to flush out accident prone drivers.

It means making use of the national identification database (when we decide to take it seriously).

We must encourage the government of the day to take seriously the implementation of emergency facilities, equipped, staffed and stocked with the needed supplies to deal with road emergencies.

The life saved may be yours or mine.