Interesting statistic from the World Health Organization: 38 percent drop in deaths 'since 2000'

The WHO has published a report on the prevention of deaths caused by drowning.

The report states that there has been a 38 percent decrease in the global drowning death rate since 2000, marking a significant achievement for global health.

"It is estimated that 300 thousand people drowned in 2021 alone. Drowning is still considered a significant public health issue," the report notes, adding that nearly half of all those who drowned were under the age of 29, and one-quarter were children under the age of 5.

The report notes that the progress made in reducing drownings is not evenly distributed across countries, stating, "Globally, 9 out of 10 drownings occur in low- and middle-income countries." 

The report points out that if current trends continue, 7.2 million people, the majority of whom are children, could drown, and emphasizes that most of these deaths could be prevented through the implementation of WHO recommendations.

The WHO's recommendations for preventing drowning include "installing barriers to control access to water," "providing safe places away from water for preschool children," "teaching basic swimming safety and safe rescue skills to school-age children," "training people in rescue and resuscitation," and "strengthening public awareness of drowning."

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, whose views were included in the report, stated that the decline in drownings since 2000 is wonderful news.

Emphasizing that the simple and practical interventions recommended by the WHO are effective, Ghebreyesus said, "Despite this, every drowning death is one too many, and millions of people remain at risk. This report contains important data for policy-making and recommendations for urgent action to save lives."