Anti-personnel landmine injuries: a global epidemic

Injuries and fatalities caused by anti-personnel landmines have become a global epidemic. Over 250 000 people alive today have been injured by landmines, many of whom required amputations. Civilians, including a large percentage of women and children, are injured at least as frequently as are military personnel. An estimated 10 000-100 000 additional people are killed or injured by landmines each year. There are presently in excess of 100 million active landmines buried or scattered throughout the world, and every day, an additional 5000 are put in place. The majority are in poor, underdeveloped, war-torn countries whose populations are already traumatized by conflict. At the cost of $300-000 per mine, the governments of these countries can not afford the process of de-mining their land, nor can they provide adequate emergency medical care and rehabilitation for landmine victims. The presence of mines in agricultural fields, near water supplies, along roadways and around villages, prevents the use of these essential resources, severely impacting on economic development. Health professionals are urged to support national and international legislation to completely ban the manufacture, sale and use of anti-personnel landmines.