HQ Team
July 25, 2023: At least 2.5 million people died because of drowning in the last decade and 90% of these deaths occurred in low and middle-income nations, according to the WHO.
“Drowning is an under-appreciated, but it is a lethal public health issue,” the global health agency stated. “Across all age groups, children aged 1–4 years and 5–9 years experience the highest drowning rates, highlighting the need for immediate action to protect future generations.”
“Drowning is a preventable tragedy that claims almost 236,000 lives each year. It is an urgent issue that needs more attention and increased investment to save more lives,” according to a WHO study.
By 2050, increased global investment in just two measures could save the lives of over 774,000 children, prevent close to 1 million non-fatal child drownings, and avert severe and life-limiting injuries for 178,000 drowning victims.
Investing in daycare for preschool-aged children and teaching basic swim skills to school-age children, could protect millions of lives. Each dollar invested in these actions can yield benefits up to nine times the original value.
Bangladesh, South Africa
Bangladesh, South Africa, Thailand, and Vietnam have invested in these cost-effective interventions, benefitting children and their families by reducing their risk of drowning, while simultaneously providing new opportunities for improved health, development, and well-being, according to the study.
In May 2023, the World Health Assembly adopted its first-ever resolution on drowning prevention. It invited WHO to lead efforts within the UN to prevent drowning and facilitate the observance of World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July each year.
The WHO is slated to form a Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention. The grouping is a network of partners who will work together to coordinate, strengthen, enhance, and expand efforts to prevent drowning deaths, aligned with WHO’s priorities.
Global report
“The Alliance operates under the principles of alignment and coordination, agility and responsiveness, driving country-level action, transparency, evidence-based approaches, and coordination among interested parties,” according to a WHO statement.
The WHO is also preparing a global status report on drowning prevention to better understand the impact of drowning and analyze government actions worldwide.
The global status report will provide critical information for policy-makers and programme managers to catalyze more action to implement low-cost, scalable, and effective drowning prevention interventions recommended by WHO, with all 194 Member States invited to participate.
