“One of the ways we can improve safety in our hospitals is by keeping our roads safe”

A Consultant in Emergency Medicine based in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda has urged motorists to slow down and to take care at all times, to help reduce the number of admissions to hospital at a time when they are experiencing extra pressures due to the levels of Covid-19 in the region.

Doctor Farah Mustafa, Consultant in Emergency Medicine said “The border region, including Co Louth, has seen one of the highest national 14-day incidences of Covid 19 infection rates in the country and although there has been a welcome decrease recently, there is still a high level of pressure on our resources.”

Doctor Mustafa and her colleagues working in the Emergency Department are well used to treating patients with a wide variety of injuries related to road traffic accidents.

A large proportion of these injuries could be reduced if motorists slow down a bit and if everyone took more care when using the roads. Dr Mustafa said

“Unfortunately we regularly deal with people who suffer life changing injuries or death as a result of preventable road traffic accidents. Many of these are caused through speeding, using a mobile phone or being under the influence of drink and/or drugs.

“By refraining from engaging in these behaviours, you will be helping yourself and others and taking pressure off the health service at this most challenging time, when there is a high demand on our Intensive Care Unit beds.”

Dr Mustafa added “To help limit the spread of the virus and to reduce the risk to our patients, the public and our staff, we all need to act responsibly. One of the ways we can improve safety in our hospitals is by keeping our roads safe”.