In a significant move to enhance global aquatic safety, the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) has this week adopted its first ever resolution on drowning prevention - requesting governments and their partners, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), to accelerate action on drowning prevention.
Meeting on 29th May in Geneva, Switzerland, the 194 members of the WHA agreed to set up a Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention and prepare a global status report to assess the impact of drowning worldwide. The status report will inform policymakers of critical information to guide them.
A resolution sponsored by the Governments of Bangladesh and Ireland invited the WHO to coordinate action on drowning prevention within the United Nations system and among relevant UN entities, asking member states to study national drowning scenarios within each country and implement policies and programmes to reduce risks.
An estimated 236 000 people die from drowning each year, constituting 7% of all injury-related deaths. Globally, the highest drowning rates occur among children aged one to four years, followed by children aged five to nine years. Both within and between countries, rates for drowning are highest among the most socioeconomically disadvantaged members of society. As such, the resolution highlights the strong relationship between drowning and the social determinants of health.
Dr Etienne Krug, WHO Director of the Department of Social Determinants of Health, noted “drowning has the greatest impact among the world’s poorest people.
“Following the COVID-19 pandemic, rising poverty is exacerbating inequalities in drowning risk. At WHO, we will continue to work across sectors and with various partners to prevent drowning and save lives.”
A draft decision urged member states to “report on progress in the implementation of this resolution to the WHA in 2025, to include reporting on the global status report on drowning prevention and reflect on contributions to the agenda of the 13th General Programme of Work, 2019-2025.”
The proposal noted that, subsequently, reporting on achievements of the global alliance and intersections with broader agendas, including the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goals and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, should also be included in 2029.
The proposal asked the WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus to “encourage research on the context and risk factors for drowning, facilitate adaptation of effective drowning prevention and safe rescue and resuscitation measures that can be applied in local communities, and evaluate the effectiveness of drowning prevention programmes.”
Based on UN General Assembly resolution 75/273 (2021), the WHO continues to lead preparations for World Drowning Prevention Day, held annually on 25th July.
This global advocacy event seeks to remember the lives lost to drowning and increase knowledge on safety in and around water.
The 2023 World Conference on Drowning Prevention is being held in Perth from 4th to 7th December 2023.
Click here to read the details of the resolution passed by WHO.
Click here for more information in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.
Images: A near drowning incident (top, credit: pxhere) and this week's 76th World Health Assembly (below, credit: WHO/Twitter).
About the author
Nigel Benton
Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management
Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia and New Zealand’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry. Having established the magazine in 1997, shortly after his relocation to Australia, he has managed its readership rising to over 11,500 and its acceptance as the industry journal for professionals in aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues.
In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
Click here to connect with him via LinkedIn.
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