Around 300.000 people lose their lives each year due to drowning , a tragedy that disproportionately affects children and communities with fewer resources.
In response to this situation, the World Health Organization ( WHO ) offers a set of seven measures designed to help governments and communities prevent these deaths through concrete policies, such as installing barriers around dangerous water sources, teaching basic swimming skills, improving boat safety, and preparing the population for floods and other emergencies.
The new technical package, called PROTECT, is being launched ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day, which is commemorated on July 25. Its recommendations put into practice the objectives of the first global strategy on this issue , which aims to reduce drowning deaths by 35% by 2035 through actions tailored to the people, places, and circumstances in which these accidents occur.
One of the leading causes of infant death
Drowning remains among the top ten causes of death for children aged five to 14, with one in four victims under the age of five. Incidents don't only occur at beaches or large bodies of water: they also happen in rivers, lakes, wells, swimming pools, canals, domestic reservoirs, and other locations near homes, especially where there are no barriers, signage, supervision, or basic safety knowledge.
More than 90% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries , where communities often have greater daily exposure to water and fewer resources to reduce risks. Children, people with disabilities, those living in rural areas, and workers who carry out their activities near water are among the most vulnerable groups, particularly when they lack swimming skills, safety measures, or adequate supervision.
“Every drowning is a tragedy, and most are preventable,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He stressed that preventing these deaths is not the responsibility of any single ministry or sector, but requires the joint efforts of authorities in health, education, transportation, child protection, disaster management, and occupational safety.
From protective barriers to teaching swimming
The seven proposed measures include the construction of infrastructure that allows for safer interaction with water, such as barriers around swimming pools, wells, canals and reservoirs; the training of citizens and professionals to perform rescues and resuscitation maneuvers; and the protection of those who work in activities such as fishing, agriculture, transport or construction near rivers, lakes and coasts.
The package also recommends strengthening water transport safety standards, incorporating basic swimming and water safety instruction, ensuring adequate childcare and supervision systems, and preparing communities for floods, storms, and other emergencies. The strategy emphasizes that measures such as creating safe spaces for children, installing barriers, training bystanders to perform rescues, and requiring life jackets and proper vessel safety can be implemented on a large scale and produce tangible results.
These actions require the coordinated participation of multiple sectors. For example, schools can incorporate swimming and water safety into their programs; transportation authorities can require licenses, life jackets, and safe conditions on watercraft; local governments can protect wells and canals with barriers; and emergency services can train their personnel in rescue, search, and resuscitation.
Climate change increases the risks
The WHO warns that climate change is exacerbating the danger of drowning by increasing the frequency and intensity of floods, storms, and heat waves. High temperatures are also leading more people to seek relief at beaches, rivers, lakes, and swimming pools, sometimes without supervision, swimming skills, or adequate rescue services.
A study conducted in the United Kingdom found that drowning deaths increase by 7,2% for every additional degree Celsius of temperature . The risk is almost five times higher on days exceeding 25 degrees than when temperatures remain below 10 degrees, reinforcing the need to include water safety in climate policies and national disaster risk reduction plans.
The global strategy notes that floods, storms, and other extreme weather events can dramatically increase exposure to hazards , particularly among people living in coastal areas, floodplains, or settlements near water. Therefore, it recommends that prevention be integrated into climate adaptation plans, emergency management strategies, urban planning, and community protection initiatives.
Ghana strengthens its leadership
The package was launched in Ghana to acknowledge the country's growing political commitment to prevention. It is estimated that around 1100 people drown each year in the country, which equates to about three victims per day, with a particularly high incidence among children and young adults.
The WHO hopes the launch will encourage other governments to adopt evidence-based policies and strengthen coordination between institutions and communities. The initiative builds on more than a decade of cooperation between the agency, governments, and partner organizations to develop prevention programs and improve knowledge about a problem that, despite its magnitude, can be avoided through effective, accessible solutions tailored to each context.
This year’s theme, “United to change the course,” serves as a reminder that preventing drowning requires shared responsibility and coordinated action. Although the global drowning death rate has decreased by 38% since 2000 , hundreds of thousands of people continue to lose their lives each year in largely preventable circumstances.