The Erongo Region has recorded 1 119 road crashes, which resulted in 125 fatalities, between 2019 and May 2022, making it one of the regions with a high risk for fatalities and serious injuries from car accidents.

Additionally, Erongo accounts for 10 per cent of all accidents that occur in Namibia annually, with injuries and fatalities accounting for 9 and 7 per cent respectively, according to Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund statistics revealed by Erongo Governor Neville Andre Itope here on Monday.

“It is even more saddening to learn that the majority of those involved in motor vehicle crashes are those between the ages of 21 and 35 years. These are young people at the peak of their youth who are in the prime of their most productive years. It is therefore relevant that the MVA Funds in SADC are deliberating on a common cause to help clients on their rehabilitation journey and recovery after a motor vehicle crash,” he said.

Itope was speaking at the opening of the 2022 case management conference taking place in Swakopmund.

The conference, held under the theme: ‘Resilience and Reinvention in Overcoming Hardships – Motivational Stories and Techniques in Rehabilitation’, is an annual event held on a rotational basis by the four MVA sister funds in Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Eswatini.

The event is a platform for motor vehicle accident funds to benchmark with various experts and stakeholders with knowledge, skills and experience in the medical treatment, injury management, rehabilitation, and long-term care of persons injured in vehicle crashes.

MVA Chief Executive Officer, Rosalia Martins-Hausiku, at the same event said the sister funds will share experiences and craft new strategies for improved case management practices, leading to improved service delivery for clients, some of whom are also attending the conference.

“The core objectives of the conference are to share information on the latest case management techniques and practices, identify strategies required to better coordinate and strengthen cooperation amongst key stakeholders to ensure standardisation of case management approaches, among others.”

Source: The Namibian Press Agency