Young men and children under 5 are the first victims of drowning according to a WHO report that has just been made public. This document also establishes that it is in low-income countries that the risk of drowning is greatest (Africa, South-East Asia).
But it is the whole world that is concerned since, for example, drowning is the second leading cause of death from unintentional trauma in children aged 1 to 14 in the United States.
“Almost any body of water represents a risk of drowning, in particular inside and around the home”, underlines Dr Etienne Krug, Director of the Department for the management of non-communicable diseases, disability and prevention of violence and WHO trauma. “Drowning is an accident of everyday life that can occur in a bathtub, bucket, pond, stream, sewer or even a swimming pool. Given what we know about prevention, it is unacceptable that hundreds of thousands of people lose their lives in this way ”.
To limit these tragedies, the WHO suggests several avenues in its report:
– install barriers to limit access to water bodies;
– provide safe places for children, such as day care centers;
– teach children the basics of swimming and show potential drowning witnesses the first aid and resuscitation maneuvers.
Also read:
– On vacation, by a swimming pool: how to check safety?
– Recognize the signs of drowning
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