About 30 people die due to drowning every hour in the world; WHO made appeal to Southeast Asian countries

The World Health Organization (WHO) urged to Southeast Asian countries to further strengthen their measures to prevent drowning incidents. These drowning incidents especially affect children and vulnerable people. According to the WHO's 'First Global Status Report', 83,000 people died due to drowning in Southeast Asian countries in 2021, which was 28 percent of global drowning cases. About 30 people are dying due to drowning every hour around the world.

The report added that in Southeast Asia, an estimated 43 percent of drowning deaths were children aged 14 years or younger. According to WHO, drowning is the third leading cause of death for children aged 5 to 14 years and the fourth leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 years. Saima Wazed, regional director for WHO Southeast Asia, added, "It is not only a necessity but a moral obligation and a commitment to save lives and ensure equal protection for all by implementing effective measures to prevent drowning incidents in the region."

Factors such as poverty, lack of safety measures, and poor infrastructure have contributed to the burden of drowning, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In addition, children are most susceptible because of a lack of supervision, swimming skills, or water life-saving skills. They added that children with disabilities face greater difficulties in recognizing and responding to water hazards.