WHO Highlights Alarming Drowning Statistics

Drowning causes approximately 236,000 deaths annually, which is about 350 daily or 26 hourly, as reported by Saima Wazed, the Regional Director for South East Asia, World Health Organisation (WHO) ().

July 25 is observed as World Drowning Prevention Day to bring awareness about the leading cause of injury-related death and disability worldwide.

Drowning
Learn about the risks of drowning, a top cause of accidental death. Discover water safety tips and emergency response strategies.

‘Did You Know?
Drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths. #drowning #deaths ’

The theme this year is ‘Anyone can drown, no one should’. “In 2019, drowning claimed 70,034 lives in the South-East Asia Region, making it the second-highest contributor to drowning deaths worldwide,” said the Regional Director.

Drowning: A Global Health Emergency

“Drowning is a sudden and silent killer, often catching victims and those around them unawares until it is too late. A few seconds may not be enough time to respond. The power is in prevention,” she added.

Wazed noted that the majority of the incidents took place near homes due to lack of supervision, exposure to hazardous water bodies, insufficient awareness, and poverty.

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There are preventive measures that exist and are crucial to address this issue, Wazed said, adding that the global health body has outlined evidence-based, cost-effective, and scalable strategies to prevent drowning. It also comes with guidance that is tailored to different contexts.

“We all have a role to play in preventing drowning. Whether by raising awareness, promoting knowledge of effective solutions, collaborating on prevention plans and policies with local or national governments, volunteering with relevant organizations, or ensuring personal and family safety around water, each of us can make a difference,” Wazed said.

Parental Vigilance Key to Prevent Drownings
Children one year and younger drown most often in bath tubs and buckets of water. With older children, the danger most often comes in swimming pools, bath tubs.

Reference:

World Drowning Prevention Day 2024 - (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drowning)

Source-IANS

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