By: Lebohang Maluke

MASERU -World Drowning Prevention Day is celebrated annually in July, as designated by a United Nations General Assembly resolution in April 2021 to promote global drowning prevention.

According to the World Health Organization’s 2023 report, drowning is the third leading cause of injury-related deaths worldwide, accounting for 7% of all such fatalities. Children, males, and individuals with increased access to water are at the highest risk of drowning.

In Lesotho, the 2020 WHO report indicates that there were 200 drowning deaths, representing 0.60% of all deaths. The age-adjusted death rate of 9.67 per 100,000 population ranks Lesotho as the seventh highest in the world for drowning fatalities.

This worldwide campaign allows for the spotlighting of the severe and significant consequences of drowning on families and communities, along with suggesting interventions to prevent future incidents. Around 236,000 individuals die by drowning annually, ranking it as one of the top ten causes of death for children and young adults aged one to 24 years.

Drowning has a greater impact on children and young people living in rural regions, where over 90% of drowning fatalities happen in rivers, lakes, springs, wells, and water containers at home in low- and middle-income countries.

World Drowning Day aims to offer safe alternatives to water activities, like day-care facilities with trained staff for young kids, educating on swimming and water safety, teaching life-saving techniques, training on rescue and resuscitation, enforcing safe boating rules, and enhancing flood prevention measures.

Per a recent decision by the U.N. General Assembly, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been tasked with overseeing drowning prevention efforts throughout the entire United Nations system. It assists people and groups in grasping the worldwide issues of drowning and drowning prevention, as well as utilizing the advocacy resources produced for the occasion to enhance their efforts and motivate others in their circles to do likewise.

Research on toxicity indicates that kids and teenagers living in rural locations face a higher risk of drowning compared to those in urban areas. Delving further into strategies for preventing drowning, especially in kids:

Making awareness that brings attention to the issue of drowning, this day helps to educate people about the dangers of water-related accidents and how to prevent them. Raising awareness is a crucial part of preventing drowning. People of all ages and backgrounds can benefit from learning about the risks of drowning and how to stay safe around water.

Here are some examples of drowning prevention strategies that National Drowning Prevention Day aims to promote: Swimming lessons is one of the best ways to learn how to stay safe in the water and can also help build confidence and comfort in water-based activities.

Encouraging safety practices this day promotes activities and strategies that can help prevent drowning, such as swimming lessons, supervision of children, and proper use of life jackets.

Honouring victims, the day provides an opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives to drowning accidents and to support their loved ones. It serves as a reminder of the tragic and devastating consequences of drowning accidents. The recognition is emotional and has a physical impact of these accidents and encourage people to take preventative measures.

The day also provide support to families who have experienced the loss of a loved one to drowning. Whether it is through sharing stories, organizing events, or simply offering words of comfort and compassion, acknowledging the loss can be an important step in the healing process.

Precisely! Supervision is critical when it comes to water safety, particularly for children. It is easy for accidents to happen quickly and without warning, so it is crucial for adults to stay alert and focused. If children are in the water, stay close enough to reach them immediately if necessary. Avoid distractions of either phones or other distractions which can be tempting, but it is important to give out full attention to supervising children around water.

Learning to swim is one of the best ways to prevent drowning accidents. Even basic swimming skills, like treading water and staying afloat, can make a huge difference in a person’s ability to stay safe in water. It is necessary to find a swimming program either by swimming lessons at a local pool or community centre or practice regularly: The more you swim, the more comfortable and proficient you will become.

Parents should closely monitor their children when near water because children are especially vulnerable to drowning accidents for several reasons: Lack of swimming skills, young children are often unable to swim and may struggle to stay afloat or move through water. Inability to recognize danger, children do not understand the potential risks of water and may be attracted to it without realizing the dangers. Poor judgment that young children make poor decisions or ignore warnings about water safety, which can lead to accidents.

The Global report on drowning 2014 states globally, the highest drowning rates are among children 1-4 years, followed by 5-9 years children. Age is one of the major risk factors for drowning as a relationship is often is often associated with the supervision.

WHO reports emphasizes that ‘In May 2023, 76th World Health Assembly adopted a Resolution to accelerate further action through 2029. Through this Resolution, WHO committed into establishing a Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention with organisation of the UN system, international development partners and NGOs. Drowning prevention global status report will be released by WHO in 2024. Statistics