|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By: Samuel Asamoah
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new global technical package aimed at helping countries reduce drowning deaths through evidence-based interventions, with Ghana hosting the international event ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day.
The PROTECT Technical Package for Drowning Prevention was unveiled at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, bringing together government officials, development partners, health experts, emergency responders and maritime safety stakeholders to strengthen global action against one of the world’s leading but often overlooked causes of preventable death.
The package outlines seven priority interventions designed to help countries develop comprehensive national drowning prevention strategies. These include improving water safety infrastructure, expanding swimming and water safety education, strengthening rescue and resuscitation systems, enhancing occupational safety for people working on or near water, improving water transport safety, promoting safe childcare practices, and strengthening preparedness for floods and other water-related emergencies.
Launching the framework, the WHO said nearly 300,000 people die from drowning each year worldwide, with more than 90 percent of the deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The organization noted that children, young people and vulnerable communities remain disproportionately affected.
WHO Representative to Ghana, Dr. Fiona Braka, described drowning as a major public health challenge that is largely preventable, stressing that the new technical package provides governments with practical, evidence-based guidance to save lives through coordinated national action.
Ghana’s Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening drowning prevention efforts through improved rescue services, enhanced emergency response systems, expanded public education, better data collection and increased investment in lifesaving equipment.
He said the government would continue collaborating with development partners and relevant institutions to improve water safety and reduce preventable drowning deaths across the country.
WHO Technical Advisor Dr. Caroline Lukaszyk presented findings from the 2024 Global Situational Assessment on Drowning Prevention, highlighting significant policy and implementation gaps in many countries despite growing awareness of the burden of drowning.
Representatives of Bloomberg Philanthropies also pledged continued support for Ghana’s drowning prevention initiatives, including lifeguard training programmes, swimming lessons for children and community-based water safety interventions.
The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) used the occasion to call for stronger integration of maritime search and rescue systems into national drowning prevention policies, while commending Ghana’s efforts to improve water safety through community lifejacket programmes and water safety wardens.
According to WHO estimates, Ghana records approximately 1,100 drowning deaths annually, averaging about three deaths each day. The burden is expected to increase without sustained interventions, particularly as climate change, flooding, rapid urbanisation and increased reliance on water transport expose more communities to water-related risks.
The launch of the PROTECT Technical Package marks a significant milestone in global efforts to reduce drowning and is expected to guide governments, policymakers and development partners in implementing coordinated strategies to save lives and strengthen water safety worldwide.
