Strengthening drowning Prevention
Drowning is the 3rd leading causes of unintentional injury death and in 2019, about 236,000 people died of drowning globally affecting mostly children and youths.
The UN Resolution on Drowning Prevention, adopted in 2021, which calls for WHO to coordinate drowning prevention efforts in the UN system, and encourages Member States to implement WHO-recommended drowning prevention interventions.
Having considerable burden of diseases in the SEA Region, the Regional Report on Drowning in South-East Asia recommends: 1) designate a lead agency within the government to coordinate drowning prevention 2) develop and implement a national water safety plan 3) formalize multi-sectoral mechanism 4) document and share knowledge 5) review of drowning prevention legislation 6) evaluate intervention plans 7) strengthen data system.
WHO recommends countries to implement six selected interventions and four cross-cutting implementation strategies.
| 4 strategies | |
| Develop a national water safety plan | Promote multi-sectoral collaboration |
| Advance drowning prevention through data collection and well-designed studies | Strengthen public awareness of drowning through strategic communications |
| 6 Interventions | |
| Provide safe places (for example, a day-care centre) away from water for preschool children, with capable childcare | Install barriers controlling access to water |
| Teach school-age children swimming and water safety skills | Train bystanders in safe rescue and resuscitation |
| Build resilience and manage flood risks and other hazards locally and nationally | Set and enforce safe boating, shipping and ferry regulations |
