Strengthening prevention of accidents, injuries and drowning for children

Equipping children with swimming knowledge and skills is one of the effective measures to prevent drowning accidents. Photo: Kim Ly

From 2022 to 2024, the whole province had 90 children die due to traffic accidents and drowning, of which 52 children died due to drowning. According to the assessment of the authorities, most of the drowning incidents in children occur in the summer, when children are on vacation from school and often invite each other to play and swim in ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, etc.

These areas are potentially dangerous, such as strong currents, deep water levels, and lack of supervision from parents or lifeguards. Meanwhile, many children do not know how to swim or are not fully equipped with knowledge and skills in swimming; or in many cases, children know how to swim, but do not have the skills to ensure safety in the water environment, handle situations when swimming, or save drowning friends.

Faced with that situation, the province has issued many documents directing all levels, sectors and localities to closely coordinate and drastically implement solutions to reduce the risk of child drowning; diversify forms of propaganda on prevention and control of child drowning, and step up propaganda during summer vacation, before and during the rainy and stormy season.

In 2024, the provincial press agencies published, broadcast and broadcast on local loudspeaker systems hundreds of news, articles, reports and photos on the prevention of accidents and drowning. All levels and sectors distributed 850 books, tens of thousands of leaflets and brochures, and organized 332 communication sessions on the prevention of accidents and drowning for more than 32,000 parents and more than 127,000 students of primary and secondary schools in the province.

Veterans Associations at all levels have reviewed and installed more than 830 warning signs, organized more than 660 watch teams with more than 3,300 members to be on duty at dangerous deep water points during summer vacation or peak rainy and flood season...

The Department of Education and Training directs schools to step up the construction, evaluation and recognition of safe schools, prevention of accidents and drowning for students; organize students to sign a commitment "Not to swim or wade without an adult accompanying them", and sign a commitment with parents to manage, supervise and prevent drowning for their children during the summer.

At the same time, focus on instructing children on skills to prevent accidents and drowning through in-class lessons, extracurricular activities, and group activities; coordinate with the Youth Union at all levels to organize the handover, reception, and management of children in summer activities and organize summer activities in communes, wards, towns, and residential communities.

All levels, sectors and localities continue to maintain and replicate the models of "Safe House", "Safe School", "Child-friendly Commune, Ward and Town"; promote advocacy and mobilize resources to build 63 swimming pools, of which 44 have been licensed to operate, ensuring conditions of facilities, equipment, and lifeguards, rescuers, and drowning rescuers, meeting the needs of children learning to swim.

In the summer of 2024, districts and cities in the province opened 20 free swimming classes for 1,280 children. Through the classes, the aim is to provide children with knowledge and skills in swimming, drowning rescue, and safety skills in the water environment...

With many practical solutions, the work of preventing and combating child accidents and drowning has had many positive changes. The number of children dying from accidents and drowning has decreased from 34 cases (in 2022) to 25 cases (in 2024).

To ensure a safe living environment, promptly prevent and limit accidents, especially drowning accidents for children during the summer vacation, the Provincial People's Committee requests departments, branches, provincial mass organizations and People's Committees of districts, cities, People's Committees of communes, wards and towns to seriously and drastically implement the directives of the Central Government and the province on preventing accidents and drowning for children; promote communication, disseminate knowledge and skills on preventing accidents and drowning for children, especially preventing drowning, electric shock, falling from high-rise buildings; mobilize the participation of mass organizations and people in detecting, monitoring, warning and reinforcing areas at risk of causing accidents and drowning for children.

The Department of Education and Training directs schools to review, promptly detect, and eliminate the risks of causing accidents to students in schools; organize swimming competitions and competitions to learn about preventing accidents for high school students from the grassroots to the provincial level. Veterans Associations at all levels compile statistics and review dangerous ponds, lakes, deep water holes, etc., and supplement and install new barriers and warning signs.

The People's Committees of communes, wards and towns regularly inspect, review and promptly detect areas at risk of accidents and drowning to take preventive measures for children; deploy activities to teach swimming, drowning rescue skills and water safety skills for children during the summer vacation; arrange local budgets and mobilize social resources to build and maintain physical facilities, sports facilities, develop smart swimming pool systems, self-made swimming pools to organize classes to teach water safety skills and popularize safe swimming for children; strengthen inspection and supervision of the implementation of child accident prevention and control in conjunction with the responsibilities of heads of communes, villages, agencies, units and schools managing children...

Phuong Anh

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/129409/Tang-cuong-phong-chong-tai-nan-thuong-tich-duoi-nuoc-cho-tre-em