Photo by Kevin Paes on Unsplash (illustrative)
On 13 December 2024, the World Health Organization published its first-ever global status report on drowning prevention. It found that the global rate of drowning deaths fell by 38% between 2000 and 2021.
Key facts
The global drowning death rate dropped 38% from 2000 to 2021.
The WHO European Region saw the steepest fall, 68%, while the African Region improved by only 3%.
About 300,000 people still drowned in 2021, and nearly a quarter of them were children under five.
Proven measures include barriers around water, safe childcare away from water, swimming lessons and rescue training.
Why it matters
Drowning has long been a silent killer of young children, especially in rural areas near ponds, rivers and wells. The decline shows that low-cost steps such as fencing water, supervised childcare and teaching children to swim save many lives.
Worth noting
Progress is very uneven: more than nine in ten drowning deaths happen in low- and middle-income countries, and only 22% of countries include swimming and water safety in school curricula. WHO warns that 7.2 million more people could drown by 2050 if trends continue.