WHO's drowning prevention guidelines in Vietnamese version will be provided to government agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), communities, schools, researchers and individuals with practical, step-by-step guidance on implementing effective measures to prevent drowning
Every year, drowning kills more than 2,000 children in Vietnam, making it the leading cause of injury-related deaths for children in the country. Over the years, Vietnam has made great efforts in implementing child drowning prevention measures following the Prime Minister’s approval of a program for child injury prevention for the period, 2016 – 2020.
This includes raising community awareness on the prevention of child drowning, teaching children swimming and water safety skills, eliminating risks of drowning at home and in communities, implementing inter-sectoral coordination of child drowning prevention activities, and encouraging active participation of communities and international organizations in this program.
In June 2018, MOLISA, WHO and GHAI, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, announced a new program in the country, which aims to reduce child drowning, thus saving lives.
“We greatly appreciate the publication of this important guide. It will provide important resources for us and many other agencies and partners in Vietnam in designing and implementing effective interventions for drowning prevention in the country. It will contribute in the effective implementation of the national child injury prevention program approved by the Prime Minister,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, Vice Minister of MOLISA, remarked.
“Drowning is preventable, and this guide tells us exactly how to do so. It provides us effective measures that can be implemented at various levels – from crafting relevant legislations and regulations to daily care for children. It reminds us that drowning prevention is everyone’s business, and that multiple sectors play an important role in its strengthening,” Dr. Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Vietnam, called for multi-sectoral engagement in addressing this public health concern.
“This publication remains a mere guide if not translated to actions. This is why we commend the Government of Vietnam for taking a big step forward by already gearing up for the implementation of some of the measures outlined in this guide,” Dr. Park continued. Vietnam will soon carry out relevant activities, including teaching survival swimming and water safety skills for school-age children. Providing day care service for children under 5 will also be started with the aim to ensure adult supervision to them, preventing drowning incidents.
