Improving care of the injured

Strengthening the emergency care systems that serve as the first point of contact for so much of the world is essential to ensuring timely and equitable access to care for the injured. Effective injury care requires continuity of care across a range of platforms including first aid, prehospital care, facility-based emergency unit care, and early critical care and operative care as needed.

For every person dying as a result of injury, there are hundreds more that sustain non-fatal injuries and other health consequences. Although the ultimate goal must be to prevent injuries from happening in the first place, much can be done to minimize the disability and ill-health arising from the injuries that do occur despite the best prevention efforts.

Providing quality support and care services to victims is therefore an essential component of any response to intentional and unintentional injuries. Appropriate services for victims of non-fatal injuries can prevent future fatalities, reduce the amount of short-term and long-term disability, and help those affected to cope with the impact of the injury event on their lives.