A few days ago the World Health Organization published the first "World Report on drowning by submersion: prevention of a major cause of death", a document that leaves us with shocking data such as 372,000 people die drowned every year and those who are most at risk are children under five.
In total, more than half of all people drowning are under 25 and more than 90% of drownings occur in low and middle income countries. But it is, as WHO officials have pointed out, a way of dying that can be avoided.
This is not a new problem, some time ago we saw that UNICEF also proposed ways to avoid these childhood drowning that WHO now reminds us of in its recent report.
Strategies that local communities can adopt include install barriers to restrict access to water; provide safe places for children, such as childcare centers; Teach children basic notions of swimming and make it possible for potential drowning witnesses to have notions of rescue and resuscitation.
National regulations have to implement more stringent regulations for recreational, commercial and passenger navigation; better flood risk management and comprehensive aquatic safety policies.
But let's not think that this problem is far from high-income countries, "from the first world", since drowning occurs anywhere where there is water, even at home. Also when we board a boat or there is flooding there is that possibility, often not contemplated in the official records of drowning deaths.
In short, drowning is a problem present in multiple sectors and therefore the strategies for its prevention are related to other public health programs (water supply suitable for consumption, rural development, disaster management and health childish).
The authorities (and society in general) need to be aware of this to start up these measures that could save many children from drowning.
