Trauma in a Teaching Hospital Outpost: Comprehensive Health Centre, Okoyong, Cross River State, Nigeria Maurice E. Asuquo, Gabriel Ugare 1 Abstract Background: Road traffic injuries and other forms of trauma have become a major health problem world- wide, but Africa is the worst hit. This study was designed to evaluate the characteristics of trauma injuries in order to offer solutions for planning in terms of policy formulation and implementation. Patients and Methods: The Comprehensive Health Centre, Okoyong, is a rural outpost of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Calabar is located about 45 km away in a rural community close to the high- way. Trauma patients seen from January 2004 to December 2004 were studied. Results: In total, 76 trauma patients were recorded. The ages ranged from 2 to 50 years (mean 26.1 years) with a male to female ratio of 3:1. Trauma was mainly due to road traffic injuries, 54 patients (71.1%) (motor vehicle – commercial in 28 patients and motorcycle in 26), followed by assault in 15 patients (19.7%). Lacera- tion and abrasion accounted for 87.8% of injuries. The head and neck was the most common anatomical site injured in 49 patients (47%), followed by the lower limbs in 27 patients (26.0%). The injuries involved 39 passengers/pedestrians (72.3%), while a driver/14 cy- clists (27.7%) ranked second. Mortality was 2.6%. Conclusion: Trauma was mainly due to road traffic injuries. The development of rural trauma systems and improvements in road and traffic infrastructure would reduce injury, morbidity, and mortality. Key Words Trauma Æ Rural setting Æ Highway Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 2010;36:49–52 DOI 10.1007/s00068-009-9013-4 Introduction Road traffic injury and other forms of trauma have become major health problems throughout the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and Africa has been especially hard hit [1]. Road traffic injuries have been shown to be the most frequently encountered injuries [2, 3]. Other forms of trauma in- clude assaults, fall from height, and burns. The mor- bidity and mortality burden in developing countries is rising due to a combination of factors, including rapid motorization, poor road and traffic infrastructure, as well as the behavior of road users [2]. However, indices in the developed countries are reducing [4]. Effective policies on road safety should be deve- loped based on evidence of local research, largely demographic, economic, and political environments, and not adapted on models [5]. This study was designed to evaluate the characteristics of traumatic injuries seen in a health facility, an outpost of a teaching hospital for training undergraduates, residents in general practice, and, recently, residents in surgery. It is hoped that, by documenting this injury pattern, this research would enhance proper planning. Patients and Methods The Comprehensive Health Centre, Okoyong, is an outpost of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospi- tal, Calabar, located in a rural community close to the Calabar-Itu highway that links Calabar, the Cross River State capital in Southern Nigeria, to the Eastern States of the country en route to Lagos in the west. In the setting of this facility, there is no pre-hos- pital service nor an organized trauma system. The in- jured were transported to the hospital by motor 1 Department of Surgery, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria. Received: November 12, 2008; revision accepted: March 30, 2009; Published Online: May 23, 2009 European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery Original Article Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 2010 Æ No. 1 Ó URBAN &VOGEL 49