Child drownings in Vietnam 10 times as many as in developed countries
VOV.VN - Despite the number of deaths from drowning declining over recent years, drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death and injury among both children and adolescents, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs (MOLISA).
A MOLISA report indicates more than 2,000 Vietnamese children die of drowning on average each year. The death rate among children aged zero to 14 in Vietnam is also higher than that both in the Asia-Pacific region and globally, lower compared to low-income countries but nearly 10 times higher compared to the figure in developed countries.
Children in rural areas are twice as likely to drown as those who reside in urban areas, whilst 55% of children who die from drowning are from poor rural households.
The report also highlights that the number of child drownings has increased during the first six months of the year, especially in May and June when the school year is drawing to an end, along with incidents during the summer holiday. The past few months has seen many tragic drownings occur in tourist resorts or amusement parks.
The majority of drownings are caused by adults’ lack of knowledge and children’s limited swimming skills. In many places, wells and water tanks are left without lids, while many construction sites lack warning signs at water holes. In addition, rivers, lakes, and whirlpools near residential areas do not have barriers or warning signs to alert people to the danger.
To date, drowning is a leading cause of death among children and represents the biggest threat to children, directly affecting the happiness of families as well as the overall development of the country.