The significance of the injury problem worldwide and specifically in developing countries is staggering. In 2002, there were an estimated 5.2 million injury deaths (over 14,000 people died every day) worldwide. More than 90 percent of all injury deaths occur in developing countries with 98 percent of child injury deaths occurring in these countries . Major causes of injury death globally include road traffic injury (23%), self-inflicted injury (17%), interpersonal violence (11%), falls (8%) and drowning (7%).

The WHO Western Pacific and South East Asian regions have the highest number of injury deaths worldwide accounting for more than half of all injury deaths (almost 2.7 million) annually. The major causes of injury death regionally are road traffic injuries (22%), self-inflicted injury (21%), falls (9%) and drowning (9%).

Injury is now the leading cause of death in children (0-17 years) in Asia, accounting for well over half of all child deaths. The death rate for drowning, particularly in rural areas, far outweighs that of the other major injury causes, accounting for two-thirds of all child injury deaths in some regional countries.

In July 2005 The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) was designated for an initial four-year term as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence, Injuries and Disabilities. The designation is for the Western Pacific Region encompassing 27 countries. The Collaborating Centre also works closely with the South-East Asia Region of WHO and WHO globally.