Karachi sees 50% surge in road accident cases, raising public health concerns
KARACHI: The city of Karachi has witnessed a sharp rise in road accident cases, with official data showing a 50% surge in fatalities and severe injuries compared to the last two years. Road safety negligence, reckless driving, and weak law enforcement are fueling a growing public health crisis, overwhelming hospitals and trauma centers across the city.
According to police statistics, between January and February 2024, 86 people lost their lives in road accidents. During the same period in 2025, the number of deaths jumped to 150. Experts warn that without immediate improvements in road safety laws and hospital facilities, these preventable tragedies will continue to rise.
At the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Institute of Trauma (SMBBIT) Karachi, all 71 ICU beds remain fully occupied, while Jinnah Hospital has no ICU capacity available. Trauma emergency wards report receiving more than 150 accident cases daily, pushing Karachi’s healthcare system to the brink.
Over the past year alone, the trauma center treated 224,555 patients, including 189,322 emergency cases, most of which were road accident victims. Between July 2024 and June 2025, more than 488,000 diagnostic tests were conducted, over 34,000 patients were admitted, and 1,038 deaths were recorded.
Health experts, including Trauma Center Head Dr. Sabir Memon, confirm that the growing number of accident cases is overwhelming intensive care units. He explained that due to the lack of facilities in district hospitals, even minor accident cases are shifted to specialized trauma centers, further straining resources.
A tragic case highlights the crisis: a 35-year-old motorcyclist injured on Shahrah-e-Faisal was denied ICU care at both SMBBIT and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) due to unavailability of beds, and was eventually shifted to a private hospital.
Dr. Memon emphasized that unless district hospitals are equipped with basic trauma facilities and strict road safety laws are enforced, Karachi will continue to see rising fatalities and disabilities. While new facilities such as a plastic surgery and burns ward are planned, current budget allocations remain insufficient compared to the growing patient load.
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