WHO drowning prevention push in West Africa

In mid‑July 2026 the World Health Organization warned that Africa has the world’s highest drowning mortality rate – about 66,000 deaths a year – and called for multisectoral action across health, education, transport, fisheries and disaster‑management ministries. A week later WHO released the PROTECT technical package, a set of seven evidence‑based measures covering safe water infrastructure, rescue and resuscitation capacity, occupational safety, water‑transport standards, swimming and water‑safety education, child‑care safeguarding and flood‑preparedness.

The package was formally launched on 23 July 2026 in Ghana as a pilot demonstration ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July. WHO Director‑General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that “every drowning is a tragedy, and most are preventable,” noting that climate‑change‑driven floods, storms and heatwaves raise exposure to hazardous water sites. Ghana records an estimated 1,100 drowning deaths each year.

Globally, drowning claims roughly 300,000 lives annually, accounting for more than 90 % of deaths in low‑ and middle‑income countries and ranking among the top ten causes of death for children aged 5‑14. The launch reaffirmed the target of a 35 % reduction in global drowning deaths by 2035 and called for coordinated effort across health, education, transport, disaster‑risk management and labour ministries throughout West Africa.

National bodies in Spain, Italy and Argentina have already called for water‑safety strategies aligned with WHO’s guidance, underscoring the package’s intended worldwide adoption.