Summer brings the worry of drowning.

The haunting memories...

According to statistics from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs , although the number of child drownings is trending downward, drowning still claims the lives of approximately 2,000 children each year. In Vinh Phuc province, from 2020 to 2024, there were 43 tragic drowning incidents, resulting in the deaths of 50 victims.

Swimming skills, the ability to handle situations in aquatic environments, and close supervision and care from each family are key factors in minimizing drowning incidents among children.

In 2024 alone, the province experienced numerous drowning accidents, resulting in the deaths of many students.

On April 25th, a similar drowning accident occurred on the Pho Day River in Lap Thach district, resulting in the deaths of two 7th-grade students from Ban Gian Secondary School.

On the afternoon of May 19th, in Yen Lac district, six ninth-grade students from Yen Dong Secondary School in Yen Dong commune went to play at a sandbank along the Red River in Van Phuc commune, Phuc Tho district, Hanoi . While playing, five of the students fell into a deep hole in the sand. Locals discovered the incident and managed to rescue three students, while two drowned.

On June 22nd, two sisters, Ly Ngoc Q (born in 2012) and Ly Anh T (born in 2014), residing in Ngoc Thanh commune, Phuc Yen city, along with two other children from the neighborhood, went swimming in a stream near their home. During the swimming, a drowning accident occurred, resulting in the deaths of Q and T.

On the afternoon of July 2nd, two children, Pho Thi TM (born in 2010) and Truong Thi H (born in 2012), both students of Dao Tru Secondary School in Tam Dao district, went to play near an irrigation lake and tragically drowned.

Analysis by relevant authorities reveals numerous causes leading to accidents and injuries in general, and drowning accidents in particular. Firstly, children lack adequate parental and caregiver attention and supervision; their playful, curious nature, coupled with a lack of knowledge and self-protection skills, is one of the leading causes of accidents, injuries, and deaths from drowning.

In addition, unsafe living environments and difficult economic conditions are factors that increase the risk of drowning accidents... Therefore, behind every child drowning accident lies the sorrow, anguish, and regret of parents, teachers, and local authorities.

...So that there is no more pain

In order to proactively organize and implement the work of preventing and combating child drowning, the Provincial People's Committee has issued documents requesting the heads of provincial departments, agencies, and organizations, central government agencies located in the province, the Chairmen of the People's Committees of districts and cities, and the Chairmen of the People's Committees of communes, wards, and towns to pay attention to and effectively carry out state management work on the protection, care, and education of children, prevention of accidents and injuries, especially the prevention and combating of child drowning.

Local authorities in the province have focused on implementing solutions to address shortcomings and limitations in the prevention and control of child drowning accidents; reviewing, inspecting, and promptly identifying deep holes, ponds, lakes, rivers, water bodies, bathing areas, and other areas at risk of drowning accidents to take preventive measures such as covering wells, water tanks, and water storage containers, installing fences and warning signs in areas at risk of drowning...; promptly identifying and eliminating risks causing accidents, injuries, and other safety hazards for children in the area and in households, schools, and classrooms.

At the same time, strengthen training and knowledge-building activities on preventing and combating child drowning for staff working in child protection and care at all levels and for children themselves; make maximum use of available facilities for training and teaching children to swim.

The Education sector has also issued numerous documents requiring the Departments of Education and Training, Vocational Education and Continuing Education Centers in districts and cities, and affiliated units to strengthen propaganda, dissemination, and thorough understanding among parents and students regarding drowning prevention.

As a locality surrounded by numerous lakes and dams, the risk of drowning is always present. Therefore, Minh Quang Primary School in Tam Dao district always prioritizes raising awareness about drowning prevention among its students. Before the end of the school year, teachers regularly educate and remind students about the risks and measures to prevent drowning. In particular, the school has a newly constructed and modernly designed swimming pool. To effectively utilize the facility during the summer, the school plans to organize swimming lessons and open the pool to local students for swimming practice.

At Kim Long B Primary School in Tam Duong District, 100% of students have signed a commitment to strictly adhere to regulations on preventing and combating drowning, and to refrain from swimming or wading in water without adult supervision. During the final lessons of the school year, teachers continuously incorporated lessons on recognizing drowning risks and equipping students with drowning prevention skills.

Regularly update information on drowning incidents nationwide and in the province to raise awareness and remind students to strictly adhere to regulations on drowning prevention. Coordinate with parents to supervise students during the summer break.

Given the risk of drowning for children every summer, along with the involvement of relevant authorities at all levels, each parent and family needs to proactively teach safe swimming skills to children, regularly reminding them of potential drowning hazards and where to swim safely.

Therefore, swimming skills, the ability to handle situations in aquatic environments, and close supervision and care from each family are key factors in minimizing drowning incidents among children.

Text and photos: Thieu Vu

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/129540/Den-he-lai-lo-duoi-nuoc