World Drowning Prevention Day

Seconds Can Save a Life

All of us have, at least once, come to know of a friend, colleague and person living in your residential areas losing their life while swimming or playing in a pool of water. The leading cause of accidental death is drowning. “World Drowning Prevention Day” is observed on 25 July and is a UN observation. Every year, 236,000 people lose their lives to drowning, and almost 82,000 of them are children aged 1 to 14 years. Drowning is the 3^rd leading cause of unintentional injury death. The highest number of drowning deaths happen in economically weak countries, which account for over 90% of unintentional drowning deaths. In India, approximately 38,000 people die from drowning each year.  Limited access to swimming lessons, inadequate supervision, and insufficient safety measures around water bodies could be the reason for these high casualties. Drowning is a significant public health issue, and it’s crucial to implement strategies to prevent them. 

Anyone can drown. No one should.
WHO

All of us have, at least once, come to know of a friend, colleague and person living in your residential areas losing their life while swimming or playing in a pool of water. The leading cause of accidental death is “Drowning”. Often, they could be children. Recognising the importance of raising awareness and taking measures to prevent the loss of life, in April 2021, the UN adopted a resolution to observe 25 July as “World Drowning Prevention Day”.

Drowning occurs so quickly that it is too late when a potential rescuer arrives. Immersing the mouth and nose in the water leads to suffocation. That is what happens when one drowns, leading to loss of life. Drowning is sudden and abrupt, and it happens before people realise it. Drowning doesn’t discriminate. Every year, 236,000 people lose their lives to drowning, and almost 82,000 of them are children aged 1 to 14 years. The 3^rd leading cause of unintentional injury death is drowning. It accounts for 7% of all injury-related deaths. It is silent, as can happen in as fast as 30 seconds. Almost 70% of childhood drownings happen during non-swimming times. 88% of child drownings occur with at least one adult present. Children under 4 are most at risk of drowning.  

You do not need to be a lifesaver to save a life.
WHO

The estimates of the loss of life due to drowning may be an underestimate due to the lack of a reliable mechanism of recording, and many may go unnoticed. The number of drowning deaths that happen in economically weak countries is high. They account for over 90% of unintentional drowning deaths. Over half of the world’s drowning incidents occur in the Western Pacific Region and South-East Asia Region. Specifically, countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are significantly affected. In India, approximately 38,000 people die from drowning each year.  Limited access to swimming lessons, inadequate supervision, and insufficient safety measures around water bodies could be the reason for these high casualties.

WHO is taking the lead role in organising and enhancing safety to prevent deaths due to drowning. It has given a call to people to “Do One Thing”. That one thing could be as simple as taking swimming lessons and putting on a life jacket. It continues to call for “Improve One Thing” and “Add One Thing.”

Drowning is a significant public health issue, and it’s crucial to implement strategies like swimming lessons, supervision around water, and public awareness campaigns to reduce these numbers. Drowning occurs so quickly that it is too late when a potential rescuer arrives. 

Drowning is Preventable.
United, We Can Prevent the Tragedy of Drowning

Toons: Reema
Logs: M Sai Baba
ToonLogs