Cape Coast, Aug. 9, GNA - Members of the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners (SPMDP), on Sunday called for collaboration among stakeholders to streamline and reduce the stress accident victims went through when applying for claims. Insurance companies, the Ghana Police Service, legal and medical practitioners must ensure that insurance claims were not cumbersome, they said.

This was contained in a five-point communiqu=E9 issued and signed by Dr Joseph Hansen, Chairman of the SPMDP, at a press conference to close the 31st Annual General Congress. It was under the theme; "Road Traffic Accident-A National Disaster". The communiqu=E9 said: "Insurance claims have been made unfriendly and cumbersome. In some cases accident victims have to pay bribes before they were given claim forms by the police, and because medical officers are to charge only GHc 2.10 for processing the claims, most of them are reluctant to do it".

It said the situation should be addressed immediately. It called on the Driver and vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to speed up the computerization of the licensing system to reduce fraud. According to the communiqu=E9, the National Road Safety Commission should be expanded, decentralised and resourced to be able to perform its functions effectively.

It said the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), should, as a matter of urgency, make available copies of the Road Traffic Regulations to the public.

It said it must accelerate education on the regulations and strictly enforce the laws on traffic offences. It urged the government to set up well equipped trauma centres along the major highways and train more specialists to manage them.