Drowning is a concern in many countries. According to multiple sources including the British Broadcasting Corporation and Cable News Network, more than 40 people drowned during a festival in September 2024 in several states in India, where thousands of people drown every year. But drowning also takes place in many other countries including — but not limited to —Guyana, Micronesia, Thailand, Mozambique and Vietnam, leading to thousands of deaths every year across the world, many of which are avoidable. Drowning is also increasing in different countries including the United States. Despite the rising awareness of drowning, which mostly takes place in rivers, lakes, domestic water vessels and swimming pools, a notable reduction of it remains challenging, leading to concerns.
There are swimming capacity-based, resource-oriented and other reasons for drowning. But it is notable that the lack of swimming skills, the absence of supervision during swimming, a lack of safety measures and strong currents or rip tides are some of the major causes of drowning. The lack of swimming and water safety measures contributes to the problem in South East Asia and several other regions. Many people do not know how to swim or overestimate their abilities many times, leading to avoidable drowning in different countries. Among others, swimming alone, the lack of barriers around water and natural disasters also increase the chance of drowning many times. Natural disasters such as floods cause the drowning of many people across the world.
Optimistically saying, water safety-based, awareness-driven and other steps are taken by different countries that help reduce drowning. The implementation of measures such as water safety regulations, public education campaigns and lifeguard training programs, along with other measures including providing resources to communities and emergency services help address drowning incidents and save many lives in many countries. Notably, different countries implement a national water safety strategy — which focuses on a variety of aspects including awareness raising campaigns — to prevent incidents of drowning. For instance, New Zealand has seen success with its “Water Skills for Life” initiative, which aims to educate both children and adults on essential water safety skills to prevent drowning accidents.
Photo credit: https://www.financialexpress.com/.
But because of the flaws in the steps, there is often little impact on addressing drowning in different countries. There is a lack of awareness-raising efforts, inadequate emphasis on developing swimming skills and the lack of enforcement of water safety regulations including pool safety regulations. Notably, there is a lack of access to swimming lessons for many in different countries due to the limited scope of such programs. Among others, there is also an absence of swimming resources and emergency services, vital to rescue and save lives. But countries with limited access to swimming awareness and resources, such as parts of Africa and Southeast Asia, see a higher number of drowning incidents.
Completely ending drowning is impossible but steps can help reduce it notably in different countries. But addressing various causes of drowning is vital. It is important to promote water safety measures and create awareness of potential risks. Ensuring proper supervision of swimming, especially for children and inexperienced swimmers, and installing barriers such as fences around pools to prevent unsupervised access can also help reduce the incidents of drowning many times and save many lives. Implementing mandatory swimming lessons in schools that can ensure children are equipped with basic water safety skills will help reduce drowning incidents in different countries — at least somewhat.
Governments can collaborate with community organizations and stakeholders to raise awareness about drowning prevention strategies and provide resources for at-risk populations that can not only help protect themselves but also save other people from drowning. But steps are also vital to ensure the emergency services of the government at high-risk areas. Quick and effective rescue response can mean the difference between life and death in drowning emergencies and save many lives from drowning and deaths.
