Included in the program must be efforts to improve medical treatment and the rehabilitation of injured patients. Research and education on injury control must be increased, and international cooperation is a vital and necessary component of a successful project. The World Medical Association encourages its National Medical Associations to incorporate the following basic elements into their programs. Injuries destroy the health, lives and livelihoods of many millions of people each year. Yet injuries are preventable.
Opportunities are available to understand and prevent injuries.
Lives can be saved and improved by taking advantage of such opportunities. Injury control should be recognized as a priority public health project requiring coordination among health, transportation and social service agencies in each country. Physician participation and leadership is necessary to assure the success of such a project. The initial effort of such a project, must be the acquisition of more adequate data on which to base priorities, interventions and research. An effective injury surveillance system should be implemented in each country to gather and integrate information.