WHO Launches Global Plan to Prevent Drowning Deaths

The WHO package is called PROTECT and turns the Global Strategy for Drowning Prevention into practical policy guidance.

The World Health Organization has launched a new technical package to help countries prevent drowning deaths, as nearly 300,000 people lose their lives to drowning every year around the world. Released ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July, the guidance brings together seven proven actions that governments, communities and frontline services can use to make water safer. Drowning remains one of the ten leading causes of death among children aged five to 14, with more than 90% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

The WHO package is called PROTECT and turns the Global Strategy for Drowning Prevention into practical policy guidance. It focuses on safer physical spaces around water, stronger rescue and resuscitation skills, and better protection for people who work near or on water.

The framework also calls for safer water transport, swimming and water-safety education for children, reliable childcare and safeguarding systems, and better preparation for floods and other emergencies. The measures recognise that drowning prevention requires action across health, education, transport, disaster management and local government services.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said most drowning deaths can be prevented when communities have the right support, knowledge and safety systems in place.

Climate Risks Add to the Challenge

Drowning can occur in rivers, lakes, wells, household water containers and swimming pools. Floods, storms and rising temperatures are adding further risk as climate change makes extreme weather events more frequent and severe.

Research has also linked hotter weather with increased drowning deaths. A United Kingdom study found deaths rose by 7.2% for every 1°C increase in temperature, while the risk was nearly five times higher on days above 25°C than on days below 10°C.

These findings highlight the importance of water safety measures that reach communities before heatwaves, floods and severe weather create dangerous conditions.

Ghana Hosts the Global Launch

WHO is launching the PROTECT package in Ghana, where an estimated 1,100 people die from drowning each year, equal to roughly three deaths each day. Children and young adults are among those most affected.

The country's efforts to strengthen water safety and growing political commitment made it a fitting place for the launch. WHO said Ghana's experience can encourage other governments to adopt practical, evidence-based policies suited to their own local risks.

This year's World Drowning Prevention Day theme, "Unite to turn the tide," calls for coordinated action across sectors and communities. Bloomberg Philanthropies, which has worked with WHO on drowning prevention since 2014, said the package can help governments build on existing progress and protect more people from preventable deaths.