Strengthening solutions to prevent drowning and child injuries

Summer is a time of high risk of injury accidents, especially drowning in children. To ensure the safety of children, to minimize and limit the number of children suffering from injuries, especially deaths due to drowning, the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee direct departments, branches and localities to continue to strictly implement Directive No. 23/CT-TTg dated May 26, 2020 of the Prime Minister on "Strengthening solutions to ensure the implementation of children's rights and child protection", focusing on the prevention of injuries and drowning in children.

Nam Dinh City Children's Cultural House organizes many swimming classes for children in the area.

Implementing Directive No. 23/CT-TTg, the Provincial People's Committee has issued and synchronously deployed action plans and programs on preventing and combating child injuries and drowning: Plan No. 115/KH-UBND dated October 5, 2021 on preventing and combating child injuries in the period 2021-2030; Plan No. 95/KH-UBND dated July 15, 2022 on the program for safe swimming and preventing child drowning in the period 2022-2030 along with many practical and realistic directives. The Provincial People's Committee requests departments, branches, and sectors; People's Committees of districts and cities: according to their functions and tasks, to focus on strictly implementing solutions to protect children; prevent and combat child injuries and drowning.

Implementing the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, functional sectors and localities strengthen inter-sectoral coordination in directing and implementing work; organize inspections and supervision of child care and protection work, compliance with legal regulations on prevention and control of violence, abuse, accidents, injuries, and drowning accidents of children at localities and facilities periodically and unexpectedly. Functional sectors monitor, promptly direct verification, investigation and clarify the responsibilities of organizations and individuals for cases of child abuse; injuries and drowning accidents causing death of children. Implement well the work of psychological counseling for children and their relatives in cases of violence and abuse; promptly take measures to intervene and assist when detecting cases of child violence and abuse. Actively review areas at high risk of accidents such as rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, canals; At the same time, warning signs were put up, barriers were erected, and people were instructed on how to properly use protective equipment such as life jackets and swimming buoys. Many places organized training courses to improve knowledge and skills in preventing and combating violence, abuse, accidents, injuries, and drowning of children for staff working on children at all levels in the province, parents, caregivers, and children.

Press agencies, functional sectors, and schools have stepped up propaganda and dissemination of the Law on Children and documents guiding the implementation of the Law on Children; disseminated knowledge and skills on preventing and combating violence, abuse, accidents, injuries, and drowning of children... on the grassroots radio system, billboards, leaflets to social networks, digital platforms, and organized forums. Thereby, raising awareness and responsibility of each person and each family in looking after, supervising, and reminding children about the risks and skills to prevent and combat violence, abuse, accidents, injuries, and drowning; mobilizing the participation of sectors, organizations, and the entire community in child protection and care. Every year, in the summer, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; 100% of districts and cities organize a campaign for the whole population to practice swimming to prevent drowning; organize swimming classes for children, and develop safety skills in the water environment; Building a safe living environment in families, schools and communities. Recently, the province has directed the implementation of the Project "Supporting the implementation of effective and sustainable interventions to prevent drowning in children in Nam Dinh province" in 6 communes in 2 districts of Nghia Hung and Hai Hau. Within the framework of the Project, safe swimming classes to prevent drowning for children have been organized; training has been organized to raise awareness of drowning prevention for children's guardians/parents, preschool teachers, commune officials, and families with children under 15 years old. Implementing the model of Safe House for Injury Prevention and Child Drowning Prevention in 2 communes of Nghia Hung district has contributed to changing the mindset of organizing living spaces, eliminating potential risks of causing injuries to children right from each family.

However, with the characteristics of a province with a dense river system and over 72km of coastline, children are currently on summer vacation, with a lot of time for recreational activities, so in reality there are still potential risks of accidents, injuries and drowning in children. In the first 5 months of 2025, accidents, injuries and drowning in children in the province still occurred and there were some deaths. In order to prevent and proactively prevent and combat drowning in children in the province, especially in the summer of 2025, the Provincial People's Committee requests departments, branches, sectors, provincial unions and People's Committees of districts and cities according to their functions and tasks to continue to thoroughly grasp and strengthen the direction of serious and effective implementation of the Central and provincial directives on the prevention and combat of accidents, injuries and drowning in children. Responding to the Month of Action for Children 2025 (June) with the theme "Prioritizing resources to complete goals for children", the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 76/KH-UBND directing sectors, organizations, and localities to organize response activities to enhance the responsibility of all levels, sectors, and the whole society in the work of caring for,educating , and protecting children, ensuring the comprehensive development of children. In particular, proactively preventing and minimizing the risks of child abuse, accidents, and injuries to children, especially drowning and traffic accidents, enhancing awareness and skills of children, families, and communities to join hands in building a safe, friendly, and healthy living environment to fully implement children's rights, ensuring children's comprehensive development. The Provincial People's Committee directs sectors, organizations, and localities according to their functions and tasks to promote communication and education work to raise awareness and responsibility of agencies, organizations, and individuals in preventing and combating accidents, injuries, and child drowning;...

The provincial Department of Health has presided over and coordinated with districts and cities to organize training courses to improve knowledge and skills in protecting and caring for children for nearly 1,500 parents and caregivers; organized 4 training courses on knowledge on children's rights, self-protection skills, prevention of abuse and prevention of accidents and injuries, and drowning for 400 children in My Tan commune (Nam Dinh city). The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized the opening ceremony of the summer, Children's Olympic Day and launched a campaign for the whole population to practice swimming and prevent drowning in the province in 2025, calling for the promotion of the role and responsibility of all levels, sectors, families, schools and the whole society in developing the movement of teaching and learning to swim and preventing drowning in children. Directed the organization of cultural, recreational, entertainment, physical education and sports activities to ensure safety and health for children.

The Education and Training sector strengthens educational activities, equips life skills, self-protection skills, prevents school violence, methods to handle cases of violence, child abuse and prevent and combat accidents and injuries for students, teachers, and educational institution managers; implements psychological support activities, school counseling and social work activities to protect children in general education institutions. The Provincial Youth Union and the Provincial Youth Union organize swimming classes, water safety skills, summer activities... to create healthy, joyful and useful playgrounds for children. The Provincial Police effectively implement the program to prevent and combat crimes of trafficking in women and children; inspect, patrol, control and strictly handle violations in the field of waterway traffic safety. The People's Committees of districts and cities direct functional branches and the People's Committees of communes, wards and towns to check rivers, streams, ponds and lakes; Put up warning signs and barriers in dangerous areas that can easily lead to unsafety and injuries to children; coordinate with relevant sectors to provide guidance on the proper use of safety equipment such as life jackets, swimming buoys, and floats; first aid skills; and safe handling in case of drowning.

Article and photos: Minh Tan

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/xa-hoi/202506/tang-cuong-cac-giai-phap-phong-chong-duoi-nuoc-tai-nan-thuong-tich-tre-em-3624d3b/