A national coalition to promote motorcycle helmet wearing has been launched in Senegal, as the first African project of the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative.
Senegalese NGO Laser International and the country’s Ministry of Transportation launched the Senegal Helmet Vaccine Coalition with a press conference in the capital, Dakar. Funded by the FIA Foundation and the World Bank Global Road Safety Facility, this first phase of the project aims to raise awareness of the role helmets play in reducing head injury, and to pull together a national coalition including public and private sector bodies.
The launch also included donation of 1,250 helmets to school children and a concert featuring Senegalese musician DJ Awadi in Ziguinchor, one of the areas of Senegal most affected by road traffic crashes involving motorcyclists. The Governor of Ziguinchor supported the launch, and a public relations campaign, carried out before and after the events, is highlighting the message of the launch to increase awareness of the Helmet Vaccine Coalition Senegal.
“We need a hard-hitting campaign that will instil in people the realization that serious crashes can and do happen. Our challenge is to overcome the objections and the lack of education of people who do not wear helmets, and stop this growing public health crisis in Senegal,” said Greig Craft, CEO of the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative.
“Injuries and fatalities resulting from head trauma in road traffic crashes are becoming increasingly troubling public health challenges in Senegal. Implementing helmet and traffic safety education programs will save lives and prevent this issue from reaching epidemic levels” said Ndèye Awa Sarr, President of Laser International Senegal.
“We are honoured that the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative has focused on Senegal as an implementing country in 2010; the government, the public sector and the private sector are all dedicated to improving the road safety situation in Senegal and we will support the Helmet Vaccine Coalition in Senegal with every resource we have available,” said Farba Senghor, Minister of Transport for Senegal.
Rita Cuypers, FIA Foundation Director of Campaigns, attended the launch events. “Encouraging widespread helmet use can be a cost-effective way to quickly reduce road casualties during the Decade of Action. We encourage other donors and governments to support the Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative. With sufficient funding and political determination GHVI can work with countries like Senegal, and NGOs like Laser International, to build sustainable programs to deliver safe and affordable crash helmets,” she said.