Medical practitioners under their umbrella body the Uganda Medical Association are demanding that all drivers be tested before issuance of driving permits but also be re-tested after every six months. 

The demand results from the rampant road accidents that have caused deaths among many road users.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda is among the countries with the highest road traffic accident death rates estimated at 29 car deaths per 100,000 persons,

According to Uganda police, 55 people died in road accidents between December 23 and December 26, 2022, while 212 sustained serious injuries. Between December 30, 2022, and January 1, 35 deaths were registered from 104 road crashes.

Police have attributed this to reckless driving with motorcyclists accounting for the highest number of persons killed, contributing to 28.57 per cent, pedestrians at 25.27 per cent, passengers on other vehicles at 14.26 per cent while passengers on heavy omnibuses and motorcycles 11.43 per cent each.

Drivers killed in road crashes account for 5.71 per cent and only 2.86 percent of pedal cyclists are victims of the same accidents.

Medics under their umbrella body the Uganda Medical Association attribute this to what they have termed as an improper process of acquiring driving licenses.

The association now demands that it must be compulsory for one to be tested before acquiring a driver's license as a way to reduce road accidents.

UMA has not spared medical practitioners who issue medical forms with false information to individuals seeking to acquire driving licenses.

The association has chosen to engage boda boda riders on measures to be followed to reduce road accidents.

These also want government to deploy more urologists, emergency drugs and equipment in hospitals to handle emergency accident cases.

The Uganda Medical Association say they will do everything possible with their partners in collaboration with the ministry of transport, Parliament, Uganda police Force, Insurance agencies and civil society organizations to prevent and mitigate the loss of life and trauma due to road traffic crashes in the country.