Increasing deaths by drowning
Children of
impoverished families are usually the victims of drowning since they have to reside in houses that are vulnerable to storm and flood
Three schoolboys drowned in separate incidents in Rangpur and Chapainawabganj districts on Friday, according to a report in this newspaper yesterday. Drowning is the leading cause of death of children in Bangladesh, and it claims lives of approximately 50 children every day on average. Ponds and ditches are in abundance in both rural and urban areas. Open water bodies in the country are used for bathing, washing, drinking, agriculture, fish cultivation and for children to play in. Closed vessels such as large buckets and troughs are used for porting, cooking and water for livestock; however these water sources are also responsible for 18,000 annual deaths by drowning of children under 18 years old.
Drowning of college and university students in the Bay of Bengal makes newspaper headlines at times. Students go to the Bay of Bengal on educational tours and other purposes. The fun and merrymaking sometimes end in tragedy. Out of sheer excitement and joy, students wade through the surging waves of the bay forgetting about the danger that lurks. It is risky to step into the sea water without knowing how to swim. It is the responsibility of the parents, guardians and teachers to make students alert about it. Special teams may be deployed on the sea shores for rescuing the persons from drowning.
Children of impoverished families are usually the victims of drowning since they have to reside in houses that are vulnerable to storm and flood. The highest rates of fatal drowning are found in the 1-4 year age group, when children start to walk and venture away from supervision. Rates of drowning are higher in rural populations, most likely due to the relatively high number of water sources in rural areas compared to urban areas.
Drowning is preventable. What is needed is careful watch on children by their parents, particularly mothers. In the home, playpens can protect children aged 6-18 months when their mother is busy with household chores and cant provide direct supervision. Swimming programmes for children over four years old that teach survival swimming techniques, safe rescue, and basic resuscitation measures can help save children. Safety curriculum, specifically designed to promote community based drowning risk reduction, is taught in schools. Despite this, drowning is a neglected issue in the country. It is the responsibility of the government to pay attention to this vital issue. Generation of awareness is also needed to reduce deaths by drowning.
