Prehospital Transport of Spinal Cord-Injured Patients in Nigeria (Trauma‪)‬

Spinal cord injury in Nigeria is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. (1-8) Socio-economic factors, poor care in hospital and inadequate rehabilitation of the victims after discharge may be responsible for this situation. Studies (9-10) have identified many risk factors (11-21) for morbidity and mortality after spinal cord injury, but none of these has been studied in the developing world. Well-organised prehospital transport has contributed to reducing morbidity and mortality in victims of road traffic accidents. (22) Nigeria is a country without an organised prehospital transport system for trauma patients. (23-24) A study has showed that only 6% of injured victims were transported to hospitals in an ambulance, the remainder being taken in private cars and public vehicles. (23) Solagberu et al. (24) noted that victims of road traffic accidents were most commonly transported to the hospital by their relatives, and that the means of transport are generally not optimal for those with spinal cord injury.