Assessing the preparedness of hospitals for road traffic accident in Central Africa: a hospital-based cross-sectional study in Cameroon and the South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo

BACKGROUND: Road traffic accidents (RTA) are a public health concern worldwide, resulting in numerous medical emergencies. Well-prepared health systems and hospitals with sufficient human and material resources are essential for the management of road traffic injuries (RTI). The aim of this study was to assess preparedness of health facilities to provide adequate care to patients suffering from RTI. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study targeting all hospitals located along the road axes most involved in RTAs in Cameroon (Yaoundé- Douala-Bafoussam axes) and in South Kivu province in Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) (Uvira-Bukavu-Goma axes). Data were collected using a questionnaire administered face-to-face to hospital managers on the existence of an RTA management policy, human and material resources, infrastructure and staff training needs. RESULTS: A total of 53 hospitals were covered, including 30 (56.6%) in Cameroon and 23 (43.4%) in South Kivu - DR Congo. Of these 53 facilities, 46 (86.8%) were district hospitals. Twenty-nine hospitals (54.7%) had a RTA response plan, 38 (71.7%) had a strategy for managing indigent patients, 40 (97.6%) had a RTA communication plan, and 9 (17.0) had a staff training plan on RTA accident management. Regarding facility capacity, only 24 of the 53 hospitals surveyed (45.3%) met the minimum service requirements for managing RTAs cases. These essential services were disproportionately concentrated in higher-level facilities, being available in all national hospitals (100%) and in 40% of regional hospitals. Similarly, only seven hospitals (13.2%) met the minimum human resource requirements necessary for appropriate RTA care. This workforce capacity was more common in national hospitals, where half (50.0%) met these criteria. CONCLUSION: Hospitals are inadequately prepared to respond to road traffic accidents due to deficiencies in response planning and the insufficient availability of both material and human resources required for effective accident management.