Across the world Drowning is a leading cause of death in children.
~ World Health Organisation
Nearly 400,000 children die due to drowning each year, with India alone having 23% of global drowning deaths at nearly 100,000 per year.
Not only is this a very high rate of preventable deaths, but the number of fatalities currently double every 9 years. It is not a problem, but an epidemic.
As if this problem is not severe enough, our ignorance of the danger to young children in our society is acute. Most people are not aware.
India has 7,400 kms of coastline, 236 rivers, 500,000 ponds and lakes, millions of open wells, thousands of swimming pools. Drowning risk is omnipresent.
Maybe its our sense of religiosity that we think, that because we visit temples, churches, and Masjids nothing bad happens to us. Accidents and bad things happen to others never us. When a drowning tragedy hits someone we know well, we wake up to the reality, but by then its too late to do anything.
The heaviest weight in the world a person can carry is the coffin of their child.
We are used to demanding that the government do something. Governments are doing their bit, but its not enough and they need to do more. However is our well being only the responsibility of the government?
Do we not have any responsibility for the safety of ourselves and our children?
Interaction with governments reveal that they are interested to do more to prevent loss of life and injuries. but recognise that they need more technical expertise and support.
More than 50 organisations across India from every state have come together to do more. In addition a signed appeal is being submitted to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) requesting the government to declare 5th of October as '**Drowning Prevention Day**' starting from the year 2018
If you are interested in supporting this initiative on drowning prevention, please click and type Interested
You can also send an email to [I want to join the movement to save lives
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