Every hour, 26 people die of drowning worldwide, says WHO

Official says majority of incidents take place near homes due to lack of supervision, exposure to hazardous water bodies, insufficient awareness

New Delhi: About 2,36,000 lives every year, which can be 350 per day or 26 every hour, are lost due to drowning worldwide, said Saima Wazed, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for South East Asia on Thursday.

July 25 is observed as World Drowning Prevention Day to bring awareness about the leading cause of injury-related death and disability worldwide. The theme this year is “Anyone can drown, no one should”.

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“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 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.

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 organisations, or ensuring personal and family safety around water, each of us can make a difference,” Wazed said.