As the country is organizing Road Safety Week to spread awareness to prevent road accidents, around 300 victims of road accidents suffering from facial disfigurement due to road accidents are visiting the Government Dental College and Hospital in Shimla.

Himachal Pradesh Government Dental College and Hospital Shimla, Head of Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Dr Yogesh Bhardwaj said: “On an average one to two such cases are being reported every day to the hospital, which may increase further in future if awareness is not spread among the general public.”

“Of the majority of reported cases to the hospital at least 25 per cent need major surgical interventions to restore their faces, whereas the rest need smaller surgeries in one form or the other creating a huge economic burden on the healthcare system.”

Bhardwaj, who is also HP Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India, State chapter, President, underlined the need for generating public awareness, as road accidents can be fatal not only in case of life threatening injuries like trauma to vital organs in chest, abdomen, orthopaedic injuries, but also much more significantly they can completely ruin and mutilate the human face leading to devastating emotional and psychological consequences.

According to the data of facial injuries reporting to the OPD of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, at Himachal Pradesh Government Dental College and Hospital Shimla, the year 2022 witnessed 256 patients visiting the hospital out of which 64 (25 per cent) patients required major operations, while minor operations and conservative treatment with jaw wiring was administered to 192 (75 per cent) patients.

Last year, in 2023, the cases reported increased to 278, out of which 67 (24 per cent) patients required major operations, while 211(76 per cent) patients were provided minor operations and conservative treatment with jaw wiring.

“On the occasion of Road Safety Week being organized by the Government of India from January 11 to January 17, we also organized a day-long public awareness campaign last Thursday, highlighting the importance of increasing awareness among people about road accidents,” said Bhardwaj.