Interdisciplinary workshop on preventing drowning in children.

On the afternoon of July 19th, an interdisciplinary workshop was held to share the results of implementing model solutions for preventing and combating child drowning.

Alarming increase in child drowning incidents.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, provided information on the current situation of child drowning prevention in Vietnam, as well as the attention and contributions of organizations and individuals on this issue. Based on practical data, the Deputy Minister acknowledged the attention and active participation of 9 ministries, central agencies, and local authorities in drowning prevention in recent times.

Leaders of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs hope that the series of activitiesdrowning preventionThe occasion of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25th will be an effective forum for children to generate more ideas and solutions for the future.

Sharing the same view, Kelly Larson, Director of the Injury Prevention Program at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Foundation, acknowledged the achievements made in Vietnam in recent years. With many innovative approaches and the dedicated efforts of relevant authorities, Vietnam deserves to be a model example of preventing drowning in children for other countries to learn from.

With its 82km long coastline, numerous rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, ravines, and dams, coupled with unpredictable hot weather and heavy rainfall, Nghe An province faces a high risk of child drowning. Of the more than 900,000 children in the province, over 13,000 are in vulnerable circumstances, and nearly 126,000 are at risk. This reality makes drowning prevention even more challenging. On average, 45-50 children die from drowning in Nghe An each year.

Many effective solutions

In light of this situation, over the years, the provincial leadership has issued numerous plans and directives to strengthen the implementation of programs and solutions to prevent accidents, injuries, and drowning among children. On average, more than 4 billion VND from the provincial budget is allocated annually to this work.

In particular, following the Provincial People's Council's issuance of Resolution No. 09 dated July 7, 2023, on policies supporting investment in swimming pools and swimming lessons for children in Nghe An province, in 2024 the provincial budget allocated 9 billion VND to build and install 99 new swimming pools and fund swimming lessons for 33 schools and communes. Currently, there are approximately 333 swimming pools in the province (including 124 permanent pools and 209 prefabricated pools).

Since then, localities have actively mobilized resources to open swimming classes for children, with an increasing number of well-trained volunteers and lifeguards. The percentage of children aged 6 to 15 who know how to swim has doubled from 30% in 2019 to 60% in 2023; the rate of child drowning has decreased significantly…

Besides the decisive actions of the authorities, many organizations, groups, and individuals have joined hands in preventing and combating drowning among children through various specific activities. Among them, the project to prevent and combat child drowning in Nghe An province, implemented by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Children, has made many effective contributions.

With a total budget of over 6.4 billion VND, the project has provided free, safe swimming lessons to more than 4,000 children and taught water safety skills to 5,400 children aged 6 to 15 in 16 communes across 4 districts: Dien Chau, Anh Son, Quynh Luu, and Anh Son. This meaningful support has improved living environments and had a significant impact on changing the awareness of children, parents, and society as a whole.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long expressed his joy and gratitude to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and other agencies and departments for their many activities in helping Nghe An province in the prevention and control of child drowning in the past.

To continue effectively implementing drowning prevention measures for children in the future, the comrade hopes that Nghe An will continue to receive attention and assistance in terms of funding and technology from central ministries, departments, and agencies, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Foundation, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, international organizations, and benevolent individuals and groups inside and outside the province.

Expectations are high for the success and effectiveness of the series of activities in response to World Anti-Corruption Day.child drowningOn July 25th, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also expressed his hope that delegates would have enjoyable experiences exploring the culture, people, and landscapes of Nghe An during the event.

At the event, the workshop heard presentations from representatives of central ministries and agencies on the role, methods, and specific activities in preventing and combating drowning among children in recent years.

This year's series of activities in response to World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25th will take place over two days, July 19th and 20th, with three main components. On July 20th, two activities will be held: a Family Day event in response to World Drowning Prevention Day and a visit to a model of a Safe Swimming Program for Children.