WHO Launches New Global Plan to Prevent 300,000 Annual Drowning Deaths

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a new global action plan to tackle drowning, a preventable killer that claims nearly 300,000 lives every year, ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25.

The new technical package, dubbed PROTECT, outlines seven evidence-based measures to help governments reduce drowning deaths, particularly among children and vulnerable communities.

Drowning remains one of the top 10 causes of death among children aged 5 to 14, with more than 90 per cent of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Rivers, lakes, wells, household water containers, and swimming pools remain common sites of these preventable deaths.

WHO also warned that climate change is worsening the crisis, as floods, storms, and heatwaves increase the risk of drowning. Research from the United Kingdom found drowning deaths rise by 7.2 per cent for every 1°C increase in temperature, with the risk almost five times higher on days above 25°C.

“Every drowning is a tragedy, and most are preventable,” WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

He said the PROTECT package provides practical solutions, including safer water transport, swimming lessons for schoolchildren, and stronger flood preparedness, stressing that drowning prevention requires action across multiple sectors.

The seven pillars of the PROTECT framework include safer water infrastructure, improved rescue and resuscitation services, occupational water safety, stronger transport standards, swimming and water safety education, child protection systems, and emergency preparedness for floods and other water-related disasters.

WHO launched the package in Ghana, where an estimated 1,100 people die from drowning each year, or about three deaths every day, with children and young adults bearing the greatest burden.

The UN health agency said Ghana’s growing commitment to water safety makes it a fitting host for the launch and urged other countries to adopt proven interventions that can save lives.

The initiative is backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, a long-time WHO partner on drowning prevention. Public health programme leader Dr Kelly Henning said the framework would help countries strengthen efforts to prevent needless deaths.

This year’s World Drowning Prevention Day is themed “Unite to Turn the Tide,” calling for coordinated action by governments, communities, and partners to end one of the world’s most overlooked public health crises.