The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched its PROTECT Technical Package for Drowning Prevention, a new global policy framework aimed at helping countries strengthen policies, legislation and systems to reduce drowning deaths.
The launch, held in Accra ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25, brought together government officials, development partners, security agencies, academia and civil society organisations to promote coordinated action against drowning, which claims an estimated 300,000 lives globally each year.
Addressing participants, the WHO Representative to Ghana, Dr. Fiona Braka, described drowning as one of the world’s most neglected but preventable public health and development challenges.
She said more than 90 per cent of drowning deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, where poverty, inadequate safety measures, rapid urbanisation, climate change and reliance on water for transport and livelihoods increase the risks.
“Drowning is, therefore, not just a public health issue; it is also a development challenge that affects child survival, education, livelihoods, equity and climate resilience,” she said.
According to Dr. Braka, the PROTECT Technical Package provides governments with practical, evidence-based guidance to strengthen policies and systems that keep people safe around water through collaboration across sectors, including health, education, transport, disaster management and child protection.
“We know what works to prevent drowning. Evidence-based interventions do exist. They are practical, affordable and effective. But they cannot reach scale without strong policies, legislation and systems that support them,” she added.
Speaking on behalf of the Government, the Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, revealed that Ghana records an estimated 1,100 drowning deaths annually, representing about three lives every day, with children and young adults among the most affected.
He said the figures require urgent and coordinated national action, stressing that drowning should not be treated solely as a health issue, but also as a public safety, disaster management, transport safety, education and climate resilience concern.
Mr. Terlabi described the PROTECT Technical Package as a practical roadmap for improving water safety, rescue and resuscitation services, swimming education, safer water transport and emergency preparedness.
He also called for institutionalised water safety training for emergency responders, noting that a recent flood rescue operation nearly resulted in the drowning of one responder.
“We cannot send personnel into floodwaters, rivers and other hazardous environments without ensuring that they possess the required swimming competence, water survival skills, rescue techniques and protective equipment,” he said.
Providing an overview of the global rollout of the package, WHO Communications Officer, Jin Ni said the launch also marked the beginning of the sixth World Drowning Prevention Day campaign, which WHO has coordinated over the past five years.
She said the campaign has grown significantly, attracting increasing global engagement from governments, development partners, organisations and the media.
According to her, WHO has featured the campaign prominently on its website and issued a global press release on the PROTECT Technical Package to more than 20,000 journalists and public health practitioners worldwide.
She noted that the campaign webpage attracts between 20,000 and 100,000 visitors weekly, while WHO’s social media campaign will highlight human-interest stories demonstrating successful drowning prevention efforts.
Jin Ni encouraged organisations to use WHO’s online campaign toolkit to share local success stories and amplify awareness.
By Jennifer Ambolley & Liz Michelle
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