TODAY, July 25 is World Drowning Prevention Day. It is quite alarming that Malaysia is in the limelight in the context of drowning cases in the world.
Statistics and reports show that over the past decade, drowning cases globally accounted for 2.5 million preventable deaths.
Malaysia alone recorded 1,622 deaths over a five-year period, between 2018 and 2023.
Based on analysis of the last decade, there were 2.5 million preventable deaths globally.
One quarter of this occurred among children aged below 15. Over 90 per cent of drowning deaths occurred in low-and middle- income countries.
Prevention of drowning has clear linkages to progress in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — specifically SDGs 3, 6, 10, 11 and 13.
Yet, recognition and action among governments and international organizations to prevent drowning does not commensurate with its public health and life safety impact.
An initiative was activated, and a regional drowning prevention assessment was conducted in both WHO Western Pacific and South-East Asia Regions in 2018 and 2019.
In Malaysia, we conducted the Southeast Asean Nations Drowning Prevention Capacity Building Workshop and Conference last year at The Ship Campus, Batu Kawan, Penang
In June last year, a,National Awareness Campaign on Water Safety Activities was launched in Penang. In 2021, the UN General Assembly declared July 25 as the World Drowning Prevention Day.
This global advocacy event 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
This is because life safety mitigation must be continuously cultivated within the community across all age groups.
Through these engagements, we are hopeful that the Fire and Rescue Department can create champions among the community members.
It should intensify efforts to educate citizens and share statistics to show the risks and how we can prevent or reduce drowning cases.
A comprehensive policy must be formulated through a multilevel and inter-agency approach especially with regard to the safety of children in kindergartens and primary schools.
The government, communities and NGOs need to shift from their current approach and start using social media platforms to create greater awareness on the importance of monitoring dangerous occasions and situations.
Also, there must be a substantial investment on water safety campaigns. It's everybody's responsibility to inculcate a safety culture.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE
Kuala Lumpur