WHO observes first World Drowning Prevention Day

DROWNING is one the 10 leading causes of death for children and people up to the age of 24, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The WHO, which observed the first World Drowning Prevention Day last Sunday, said 236,000 people had drown every year.
Etienne Krug, the director of the department of social determinants of health, said: “Anyone can drown – no one should.
“I welcome this first World Drowning Prevention Day to increase attention and hasten action by governments and partners to avert the pain and suffering caused by drowning, a largely preventable killer.”
The WHO revealed that more than 90 per cent of drowning deaths occurred in rivers, lakes, wells and
domestic water storage vessels in low-income and middle-income countries.
Half of all drowning deaths are in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions.
Rates of drowning deaths per 100,000 population are highest, however, in the Western Pacific, followed by Africa.
The WHO released a guideline on the prevention of drowning through provision of day-care and basic swimming and water safety skills.
This guideline addresses provision of day-care for children under the age of six, and provision of basic swimming skills and water safety training to six-year-old children and older.