Trauma packs developed by Professor Judith Hall of Cardiff University and colleagues from Cardiff Metropolitan University will be used to tackle the extremely high death rates on roads in Namibia (MediWales, 2016).

The Medical Research Council Public Health Intervention Development Scheme, which supports interventions addressing an important global or UK public health issue, is providing funding of £150,000 for a major trial of the packs.

Non-medical specialists such as police, drivers, senior villagers and chiefs will be trained to use the packs during the “golden hour”, which the period of time within an hour after trauma where there is the highest likelihood of saving a life.

The low cost packs contain life saving equipment with simple instructions. They have been created with clinicians from the Welsh National Health Service and industry partner BCB International.

Namibia was chosen because Judith Hall already leads the successful Phoenix Project there in collaboration with the University of Namibia. The Phoenix Project is part of Cardiff University’s Transforming Communities programme, which works with communities in Wales and beyond in areas including health, education and wellbeing. Phoenix supports the Welsh Government’s Wales for Africa project.

Judith Hall said “I am delighted that the Phoenix Project is able to help with the introduction of the trauma packs in Namibia, a country with one of the worst road traffic accident problems in the world. The packs provide intuitive, life-saving equipment and easily understood instructions, and I expect them to save countless lives.” She said she was delighted the Namibian University of Science and Technology was also involved through its paramedic school.

Professor Hywel Thomas, Cardiff University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Engagement, said “This wouldn’t have happened without the work of Cardiff University’s Phoenix Project, which is having a meaningful impact on people’s lives in Namibia in the areas of education, health, communication and science. I hope that this latest innovative intervention, involving many collaborators in Wales and Namibia, will eventually be expanded across Namibia and to developing countries elsewhere in the world.”

The trauma packs have been field tested in Zambia through Judith Hall’s Mothers of Africa charity, with support from the Welsh Ambulance Service and first responders in Wales. The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine and International Red Cross have also assisted with the testing and development.