Staff Reporter :
Each year, over 14,000 children died in Bangladesh due to drowning, which is the second leading cause of death for children under the age of five, said WHO and UNICEF report said on Monday.
The Organisations said that drowning, a major public health problem is preventable through low-cost solutions.
Increased awareness among families and communities, providing safety and swimming skills for children and adolescents, ensuring childcare facilities for pre-school children, and national policies and investments for prevention can make a significant difference, they said.
On the occasion of the World Drowning Prevention Day, WHO and UNICEF call on the government, development partners, communities and individuals to do their part to raise awareness and work to prevent the untimely deaths of thousands of children across the country.
“It is heart-breaking that so many lives are lost each year in this country. We know that these deaths are preventable. We urge individuals, communities and the government to join us in raising awareness and doing all we can ensure every child’s right to survive and thrive,” Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh said.
Globally, drowning claims the lives of over 230,000 people every year. Nine of 10 drowning cases belong to low- and middle-income countries, with children under the age of five being at the highest risk.
In Bangladesh, where large areas of land remain submerged due to yearly floods, the absence of awareness and swimming skills can prove to be life-threatening.
Children in rural areas who grow up near bodies of water are also exposed to the risk of drowning daily.
“Drowning is a significant public health concern and the third leading cause of unintentional death worldwide. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death among children in Bangladesh,” Dr. Bardan Jung Rana, WHO Representative to Bangladesh.
WHO recommends strategies and interventions to prevent drowning and continues to promote a multisectoral approach, he said.
“By enhancing multisectoral collaboration, promoting strong leadership on drowning prevention, and implementing necessary actions, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning and achieve a safer, healthier future for all,” he continued.
In 2021, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 25 as World Drowning Prevention Day to acknowledge drowning as a leading cause of death
around the world and highlight that every drowning death is preventable.
WHO and UNICEF have been working with the government and the non-government partners around the country to increase awareness on drowning prevention and provide children and adolescents with safe swimming skills.
