World Health Organization backs 2015 World Conference on Drowning Prevention

Backed, for the first time, by the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Conference on Drowning Prevention 2015 is being held in Penang, Malaysia next week.

In a report released late last year, the WHO highlighted that 372,000 people drown worldwide each year and that drowning is among the 10 leading causes of death for children and young people in every region of the world.

The World Conference on Drowning Prevention (WCDP2015) will be the first time that the global drowning prevention community will have met since the publication of the WHO report.

The International Life Saving Federation (ILS) Convention will bring together the world's foremost experts, researchers and policy makers in drowning prevention, rescue, lifesaving and water safety for exchange, debate and review of the latest progress on preventing drowning.

ILS Drowning Prevention Commission Chair Justin Scarr commented “the co‐sponsorship of this conference by WHO marks a significant step in the joint efforts by ILS and WHO to raise global, regional and national awareness of drowning and its prevention”

It is expected that key themes arising from the Global report on drowning: preventing a leading killer will be explored during plenary sessions, symposia and parallel session papers delivered by over 200 presenters from 50 nations. Symposia investigating the use of lifejackets, child drowning prevention measures, identifying and responding to drowning data gaps, and CPR protocols will all feature at the event.

The WHO report sets out the evidence showing a range of effective drowning prevention strategies, and makes a number of recommendations for concrete measures to be taken by national and local governments. Following the release of this report and by backing WCDP2015, WHO aims to galvanize attention and action to this issue by highlighting how collaboration across sectors can save lives.

Dr David Meddings of the WHO Department for Management of NCDs, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention explains “more than 90% of drowning occurs in low‐ and middle‐income countries, with nations in the African, South‐East Asia and Western Pacific regions having the highest rates.

“Children one to four years of age are particularly vulnerable to drowning.

“This loss of life is largely preventable through actions described in the Global report on drowning.”

Inspired by the key recommendations of the Global report on drowning, the Life Saving Society Malaysia is using WCDP2015 to reinforce their call for establishment of a Malaysian Water Safety Council in response to growing national recognition of drowning and how it impacts upon Malaysian communities.

Held every two years, the World Conference on Drowning Prevention is organised by the International Life Saving Federation, bringing together its member organisations and the world’s leading researchers, practitioners and policy makers to present and discuss the newest research and thinking in drowning prevention, lifesaving sport and related fields.

The ILS is composed of national aquatic lifesaving organisations (known as Member Federations) from around the world. Through its own work and that of its Member Federations, ILS leads the global effort to reduce injury and death in, on, or around the water.

Canada will host the next edition of the World Conference on Drowning Prevention in 2017.

Click here to view event details in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

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