WHO: Drowning a leading cause of adolescent death
The World Health Organisation have today published a new report on the state of adolescent health.
The report highlights drowning as a leading cause of adolescent death:
“Drowning is also a major cause of mortality. It is among the top five causes in all regions except the African Region, although, again, the actual mortality rates from drowning in the African Region are higher than in all other regions”
Drowning is often left out of the public health agenda as mortality statistics for children usually include neonatal conditions which account for a significant proportion of deaths in children under 1 year of age, and skew the data for the age group as a whole.
The World Health Organisation have previously recognised that their drowning figures do not include drowning due to ‘cataclysmic events’ such flooding, or suicide. Therefore the total number of drowning deaths are likely to be much greater.
The WHO Global Burden of Disease suggested that over 97% of drowning deaths take place in low and middle income countries. This new report provides additional evidence that a global push to promote drowning prevention interventions is desperately needed.
Adolescent Mortality. Source: WHO http://apps.who.int/adolescent/second-decade/section3/page2/mortality.html
Tom Mecrow, Researcher and Practitioner 
Good that Drowning now is being recognised as a problem
By: Royal Life Saving Society Uganda on May 16, 2014
at 12:16 am
Yes, slowly but surely it is!
By: tommecrow on May 16, 2014
at 7:26 pm
I believe that tolls from natural disasters leading to drowning should be included in the statistics. Elementary swimming and survival skills may well equip potential victims with the ability to recognise potential dangers, and allow people to judge their capabilities in different environments and conditions. Some lives may be saved
By: Judith Muir on May 17, 2014
at 11:43 am