A sharp rise in hospital admissions due to accidents has been reported during the New Year festive season, health officials said.
Dr. Samitha Sirithunga, Head of the Accident Prevention Unit at the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit of the Ministry of Health, stated that around 29,000 individuals are currently receiving treatment for accident-related injuries.
He noted that approximately 1.3 million people are hospitalized annually due to accidents, with the highest number of cases typically recorded during the New Year period.
According to Dr. Sirithunga, road traffic accidents account for the majority of admissions, followed by falls, animal bites, assaults, and other injuries.
He also pointed out that accidents are more frequent outside the Western Province, while injuries caused by fireworks have shown a relative decline.
Health authorities have urged the public to exercise greater caution to help prevent accidents during the festive season.
