More than 60% of drivers of motor vehicles are suffering from various health issues, the Dhaka Ahsania Mission's Health Sector said in a report published on Monday.
The findings are based on a free health check-up including an eye test campaign on the occasion of 'National Road Safety Day-2023' and 'World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims-2023' jointly organised by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Dhaka Ahsania Mission. This campaign was conducted from October 11 to 23 last year.
The report said, a total of 541 drivers participated in the eye checkup among 824 drivers and around 66% drivers are suffering from different eye discomforts.
Additionally, among 541 drivers around 73% drivers have vision problems and need glasses with specific powers; 4% have cataract problems and 23% have other eye problems like-dry eye, allergic problems etc. The vision problems have been found mostly for drivers aged 31 to 40 (26%) and 41 to 50 (23%).
In this health campaign, a total of 824 drivers participated at the training centres of BRTA (Nikunja, Uttara), bus terminals (Gabtoli, Mohakhali, Saydabad), Tejgaon Truck Terminal, and Cumilla Zilla Shilpakala Academy.
Among 824 drivers, 49% have blood sugar above the limit, 31% suffer from high blood pressure and 17% suffer from both high blood sugar and high blood pressure. Among the 824 drivers, more than 60% are not fully fit for driving.
In Bangladesh Road Transport Act-2018, priority has been given to motor vehicles (motor vehicles fitness, route permit etc) but road safety issues are absent in the law.
