MISSING PIECES - Inter-Parliamentary Union

MISSING PIECES
• advocate for improvements in the quality of services;
• conduct a policy audit and situational analysis;
• improve emergency medical services and trauma care; and
• involve the community in the design of specialised services. 52
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARLIAMENTARIANS
1. Support the development of injury surveillance systems. The scarcity
of data on survivors of armed violence renders the provision of adequate
services difficult. Models exist of efficient data collection and injury surveillance
systems. Existing injury databases can be expanded upon to
include gun violence. International agencies collecting data on deaths,
injuries, peaks of violence in violence affected situations should pass these
on for the development of national health plans and development strategies.
Guidelines on consistent information collection, as well as appropriate
strategies to hand over this information to national agencies, should also
be considered.
2. Assess where gaps may exist in service provision. Although the right to
health recognises the primacy of prompt treatment for all injured persons,
regardless of the context or the legal status of the actors, the reality sometimes
falls considerably short of this. Governments have a responsibility
to ensure that adequate health facilities and medical personnel are available
to serve the medical needs of all victims of gun violence. Parliamentarians
can be particularly instrumental in conducting investigations and
consultations on where standards and services could be improved. This
should include emergency response systems, trauma care, and rehabilitation
services. Gaps can be identified as part of National Action Plans on
small arms as called for in the UN Programme of Action.
3. Include gun violence survivors in programme design and intervention
activities. Victims of non-fatal small arms fire are a constituency that can
help identify risk factors and contribute perspectives to interventions and
policy development. Through health service providers, advocacy organisations
and government agencies, their opinions and input can be gauged
and may well provide insights not well understood, including how to
reduce the demand for guns. Weapons control initiatives should also actively
include survivors in their advocacy and policy efforts.
4. Look beyond emergency medical care. Pre-hospital and emergency
medical treatment is important, and features among the essential services
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