Launching a communication campaign to prevent drowning for children

Morning of November 3,Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs- The Standing Office of the Provincial Children's Affairs Steering Committee and the Provincial Child Drowning Prevention Project Coordination Board held a launching ceremony for the Child Drowning Prevention communication campaign and announced the project implementation in Nghe An province in 2021.

The conference was held online with the connection point from the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and 21 districts, cities and towns. Also attending were Mr. Dang Hoa Nam - Director of the Department of Children - Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Doan Hong Vu - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee - Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and representatives of relevant departments, agencies and sectors. Photo: My Ha

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in children. According to statistics from the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, every year, on average, more than 2,000 children nationwide die due to drowning.drowningand accounts for the highest proportion (over 50%) of all deaths due to injury accidents.

In Nghe An province, in recent years, the province has actively directed the implementation of child injury prevention, especially drowning prevention, with many synchronous solutions.

Comrade Doan Hong Vu speaks at the launching ceremony. Photo: MH

However, the rate of child drowning in the province remains high. From 2019 to October 31, 2021, the province had 150 cases of child drowning, 164 children died from drowning.

The main reason is that the awareness of some families, communities and society about child drowning prevention in localities is still limited, there is a lack of specific actions, and the living environment for children still has many potential risks of drowning. In addition, an important reason is that many children have not learned to swim and lack safety skills in the water environment.

The conference was held online. Photo: MH

To continue to strengthen the implementation of better child drowning prevention, speaking at the launching ceremony, Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Hong Vu suggested that departments, branches and localities need to continue to strengthen the coordination of departments, branches and localities in implementing practical and effective solutions and activities to prevent child drowning.

In addition, it is necessary to promote communication in many forms to increase the dissemination of knowledge and skills on drowning prevention for people and children. Mobilize social resources to strengthen the organization of safe swimming lessons for children; regularly review, inspect and renovate places and locations at risk of drowning to have timely measures to prevent and combat drowning for children.

At the launching ceremony, a representative of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said that 2021 is the first year that Vietnam has implemented Child Drowning Prevention Day and is also the first year to implement Decision No. 1248/QDTTg approving the Program for Child Injury Prevention and Control for the 2021-2030 period of the Prime Minister.

Therefore, through this launching ceremony, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs calls on localities to consider preventing child drowning as one of the top priorities in the National Action Plan for the Prevention of Accidents and Injuries in Children. In addition, each family can make a practical contribution to preventing drowning by supervising children safely, teaching children to swim and water safety skills, and creating a safe environment for children away from water sources.

Immediately after the launching ceremony, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs held a conference to initially evaluate and continue implementing the province's Directives, projects and programs on children's work in the province for the period 2021 - 2025, with a vision to 2030.

The conference will clarify the initial results of implementing the province's leadership and direction documents in the past time and identify existing problems, difficulties, and obstacles and propose tasks and measures to effectively implement children's work in the coming time.

Swimming teaching model for students in Do Luong district. Photo: Duc Anh

This year, Nghe An province was selected by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs as one of 12 provinces to implement the project "Supporting the implementation of effective and sustainable interventions to prevent and combat drowning for children in Vietnam in the period 2020 - 2021". This is a project supported by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in coordination with the US Global Policy Advocacy Organization.

In 2021, the project will be deployed and implemented in 05 communes in 02 districts of Dien Chau and Yen Thanh with specific activities such as: communication activities, training and teaching swimming, teaching safety skills in the water environment for children from 6 to 15 years old in the project implementation area; building 01 swimming pool in Bac Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district and some related activities.