Spring 2005 archive of past newsletters

CAMBODIA:
WHO Supports Helmet Initiative

Although motorcycles make up more than 75% of the vehicle fleet in Cambodia and about 90% in Phnom Penh few people who ride on these motorcycles wear helmets. Since 2002 the World Health Organization has supported a helmet wearing initiative in Phnom Penh. This collaborative effort involves the Preventive Medicine Department, Ministry of Health; the Municipality of Phnom Penh; the Ministries of Public Works and Transport, Education, Youth and Sport and Interior; the Land and Transport Department; the Traffic Police Office; Handicap International; UNICEF; the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and the Cambodian Red Cross. Handicap International and the Ministry of Health are coordinating this project that incorporates:

• A media campaign,
• Proposed helmet legislation, and
• Work-related helmet wearing policies

Media Campaign
Handicap International and WHO supported the television and radio broadcast of a traffic safety promotion advertisement April-July 2004. In addition, there were high profile helmet awareness activities on World Health Day 2004. The Cambodian Secretary of State for Health, Dr. Mam Bunheng and the WHO Representative in Cambodia, Dr. Jim Tulloch, took an active part in the campaigns and demonstrated the importance of the issue for both the driver and passenger on a motorcycle by wearing helmets. A survey conducted by Raingsey, Mony, and Sorphea showed that in March 2004, the average rate of wearing helmets varied from 7.6 to 8.6% per day while in July 2004, the average wearing rate varied from 7.5 to 9.6%. The survey noted that helmet wearing significantly drops on weekends.

Dr. Mam Bunheng, Secretary of State for Health (driver) and Dr. Jim Tulloch, WR Cambodia (helmeted passenger) Photo © WHO Office Cambodia, 2004

Helmet legislation
A new national road safety plan has been developed and was formally adopted by the Cambodian Government. A national road safety law was proposed and is being reviewed. This is the first road safety legislation of its kind in the history of Cambodia. In the draft legislation there is a section on motorcycle helmets.

Adoption of a work-related helmet wearing policy
The initiative is encouraging UN agencies, government departments and NGOs to adopt, enforce and monitor policies that require helmet wearing for their employees. The WHO Office in Cambodia contracted with Handicap International to visit, government departments, and nongovernmental agencies to promote road safety and develop organization road safety policy.

-Submitted by Pamela Ann Messervy and Meleckidzedecki Khayesi, WHO

Acknowledgement
This initiative is funded by WHO through a grant from the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society.

References
Raingsey PP, Mony KE, Sorphea DC. Helmet Wearing Survey, Phnom Penh, Preventive Medicine Department, Ministry of Health, Cambodia, 2004.

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