In the open sea, in rivers but also in pools a few centimeters high: every year, in the world, 236,000 people die from drowning, for a total of about 2.5 million deaths in the last decade. The most frequent victims are children between one and 4 years of age, followed by those between the ages of 5 and 9. This is highlighted by the numbers released by the World Health Organization in view of July 25, the world day for the prevention of drowning.
And, if 90% of deaths occur in the poorest countries, the problem does not spare Italy, where more than 20 victims have been killed since May, including 7 children.
In Italy alone, about twenty cases have ended up on the pages of the newspapers since the beginning of this summer. The first to open this sad list was the 3-year-old Ivorian boy found in the swimming pool of a Centocelle sports club in Rome. A 6-year-old boy drowned in Margherita di Savoia, in the Bari area, during the summer camp. In the Vicenza area, on 15 July a 2-year-old girl slipped into her home swimming pool: a tragedy similar to that which occurred a few days earlier in Parma, where a one-and-a-half-year-old girl died in an inflatable pool, and in Novi di Modena where a two-year-old girl died during her little sister’s party. In an irrigation tank, on the other hand, in the Foggia countryside, two little brothers lost their lives.
The country was moved by the death of a 35-year-old man who drowned after saving two boys in Avola, near Syracuse. At least three deaths in Abruzzo while a 26-year-old was stuck among the rocks in Villasimius in Sardinia. A 29-year-old boy drowned in the waters of Lake Maggiore at night. Often underestimated, even rivers are risky: an Ivorian disappeared a few days ago in the Trebbia, an Egyptian in the Oglio river, 19-year-old Denise in the Lao river, in Calabria, while she was rafting.
Furthermore, according to the WHO, drownings are responsible for 75% of deaths during floods, which have become increasingly frequent. In 2023, the 76th World Health Assembly adopted its first resolution on the prevention of drowning. On the occasion of World Day, WHO reminds “that anyone can drown, but everyone can do something to save lives”. With this objective, a campaign will be launched on social media on July 25 with 6 prevention measures to be promoted in order to drastically reduce the risk.
First of all, enrolling school-age children in a swimming course: learning basic swimming skills significantly reduces the risk of drowning; on the contrary, one must not think that wearing the armrests or the donut is enough to make one feel safe, because they are not life-saving devices.
The second point is to ensure that children are constantly supervised: whether they are near a pond, river, beach or bathtub, close supervision by an adult is necessary, capable of responding immediately to the need for help. Furthermore, “swimming pools should always be protected with barriers when they are not in use”.
The third piece of advice is to promote the attendance of rescue and resuscitation courses in the general population: survival after drowning improves if cardiopulmonary resuscitation is performed as soon as the person is removed from the water. Whether it’s by motorboat, canoe or dinghy, WHO advises to always wear a life jacket when traveling on the water, regardless of swimming ability and to check the weather conditions before getting on any boat, and make sure it is equipped with safety equipment. Finally, everyone can help save lives by sharing information and campaign materials with the hashtag #DrowningPrevention on social media.
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