Every year, an estimated 236,000 people drown, making drowning a major public health problem worldwide. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death globally for children and young people aged 1-24 years. Drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths.

The global burden of death from drowning is felt in all economies and regions, however:

low- and middle-income countries account for over 90% of unintentional drowning deaths; over half of the world's drowning occurs in the WHO Western Pacific Region and WHO South-East Asia Region; drowning death rates are highest in the WHO Western Pacific Region, and are 27-32 times higher than those seen in the United Kingdom or Germany, respectively.

World Drowning Prevention Day, declared through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution, is held annually on July 25. Through this global event, we remember lives lost due to drowning and aim to increase knowledge on safety in and around water. Drowning doesn’t have a single cause, or a single solution. But it can be prevented.

The World Health Organization is asking countries and partners to respond to their call to action for global drowning prevention:

• Do one thing.
• Improve one thing.
• Add one thing.

For resources and to learn more, visit www.who.int/campaigns/world-drowning-prevention-day/2024

The USLA offers safety tips aimed at natural bodies of water here: www.usla.org/safetytips