• Over 112,400 sustain injuries  

A total of 10,144 people have died in road accidents between 2021 and last year (2025), with a further 112,415 sustaining injuries, Deputy Health Minister Dr Hansaka Wijemuni told Parliament. 

Responding to a question raised by Opposition Parliamentarian Dr Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, he said that the figures represented annual averages of approximately 2,536 deaths and 22,483 injuries during the five-year period. He also said: “The annual average number of people who become temporarily or permanently disabled due to road accidents is approximately 25,000,” he said.

Addressing the economic impact of road accidents, he said that international estimates placed the loss of productivity caused by road crashes at between three per cent and five% of a country's Gross Domestic Product.

Speaking further, he said that the Government had identified emergency and accident care as a major issue in the health sector and is taking steps to improve facilities in hospitals across the country. He added that several hospital emergency treatment units had been left only partially completed when the current Government assumed office, and that work is now under way to complete them. 

“We are taking steps to complete all those facilities. We have also finalised plans to equip the emergency treatment units in every hospital, including rural hospitals, with the necessary equipment and medical personnel,” he said. 

Dr Wijemuni said that a substantial allocation is expected to be made in next year's (2027) Budget for this purpose. The plans would also cover improvements to the related services, including blood transfusion facilities and operating theatres, he said. 

“We have identified accidents as a major health issue. We are therefore working with the Transport and Highways Ministry, while the Health Ministry is also conducting its own research into what needs to be done from the health sector's side to prevent accidents,” he said.