The Secretary of the National Council of the Red Cross in Timor-Leste (CVTL), Virgilio da Silva Guterres, said keeping first aid kits inside public transport could help save lives in case of an accident.
Guterres said in Timor-Leste most drivers do not think first aid kits are important so they do not have them. The situation is the same for public and private transport drivers.
He added the CVTL will undertake a public information campaign on the subject including also to the traffic police and the National Directorate for Transportation.
“All public transport should have these. It is better to prevent rather than regret, during a traffic accident,” he added on the occasion of the International Day of First Aid celebrated in Timor-Leste at the Timor Plaza Shopping Centre, Dili.
The theme of the day was “First Aid Secure Roads” as a reminder to the public of the importance of keeping safe while circulating in public or private transportation.
He said also despite there not being specific data for Timor-Leste, global statistics show that 50 per cent of deaths occur because after the accident victims do not access first aid care.
Meanwhile the Deputy Chief of the National Traffic Police, Valentino Soares, said many accidents in Timor-Leste result in victims not being saved because of a lack of first aid assistance.
He added the majority of vehicles in circulation in Timor-Leste do not carry a first aid safety kit.
“We discussed at a meeting some time ago about the need to make it a requirement that all vehicles, public and private, need to carry a first aid kit,” said Deputy Soares.
He said also the PNTL intends to organize first aid training to member of the traffic police and the fire service so they can help victims at the traffic accident scene while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
