By Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia
World Drowning Prevention Day, marked annually on 25 July, serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities, and to offer life-saving solutions to prevent it. The day was declared in 2021 by a United Nations General Assembly resolution which invited WHO to coordinate actions on drowning prevention within the UN system.
This year it is being marked with the theme ‘Your story can save a life – Drowning prevention through shared experiences.’
Every year, drowning ends the lives of over 300 000 people around the world, and more than 80 000 in our South-East Asia Region. Children suffer the most, with drowning ranking among the top three causes of death for those aged 1-14.
As WHO, we have not been idle. We published the Global Report on Drowning in 2014, the 2017 follow-up resource Preventing Drowning: an implementation guide, and the 2024 Global Status Report on drowning prevention. In 2023, the World Health Assembly adopted its first ever resolution on drowning prevention.
In South-East Asia, we have been working to scale up advocacy and action. Since 2000, while drowning death rates have dropped by 38% globally, in our region it dropped by 48%—because interventions work when they are contextual, community-driven, and inclusive.
In Nepal, numerous rivers, lakes, canals, reservoirs and ponds present a constant drowning risk, especially for young people. An estimated 1500 people drown in Nepal each year. In response, the Ministry of Health and Population, with support from WHO, planned rapid community assessments to raise awareness of drowning risks with community leaders, and to work together to find ways to prevent future tragedies.
In rural Bangladesh, open ponds and canals dot the landscape, and mothers once faced an difficult choice: leave their young children unsupervised or sacrifice their livelihoods. The Anchal day-care model now protects thousands of children aged 1-5 from drowning. Older children transition into SwimSafe, where in just two weeks, they learn lifesaving water skills. Over 700 000 children have been trained.
In Sri Lanka, coastal families depend on day-boat fishing—but storms and sudden weather shifts once brought devastating loss. In response, a simple but powerful solution was launched: Sayuru—a mobile voice and SMS weather alert system. Now, over 100 000 fishers receive real-time safety updates in local languages. In just four years, Sayuru has reduced storm- related fishing deaths by more than 70%.
In Thailand, a transformation has taken place, not just in drowning rates but also in public consciousness. The Merit Maker program began as a summer safety campaign, and transformed into a nationwide movement with a creative mix of school competitions, street performances, CPR training, and mall exhibitions. Thailand has cut child drowning deaths by 57%—from 1500 to under 700 annually.
We need to ensure investment in local solutions that fit each country’s local realities and ensure inclusivity – especially for children with disabilities. Crucially, we must all elevate community voices—because they know what works.
On this World Drowning Prevention Day, we urge Member States to embed drowning prevention into national health and development plans.
Let us not just to remember the statistics. Remember the stories. Share them. Learn from them. Let them move you to action.
Because your story—your experience, your voice, your solution—can save a life.