Juliet Oladele, Reporting
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised grave concerns over the high rate of drowning deaths across Africa, revealing that approximately 66,000 people die annually in the region despite a significant global decline in fatalities.
In a message by its Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, to mark the 2026 World Drowning Prevention Day, the WHO noted that the continent continues to bear the highest drowning mortality rate globally, calling for urgent, coordinated action to address the preventable crisis.
This year’s campaign, themed “Unite to Turn the Tide,” emphasises the need for stronger collaboration among governments, communities and stakeholders to accelerate life-saving interventions.
Dr Janabi observed that while the global drowning death rate has declined by 38 per cent since 2000 – demonstrating the effectiveness of evidence-based strategies – more than 300,000 people still die from drowning each year worldwide.
“Behind these statistics are children who never return home, families whose livelihoods depend on water, and communities exposed to recurring floods,” he said, stressing that children account for more than half of drowning deaths in the African region.
He emphasised that drowning is preventable through sustained investments, stronger policies and multisectoral collaboration involving health, education, transport, fisheries, disaster management and other critical sectors.
Highlighting progress across the continent, the WHO chief cited efforts by Tanzania and Uganda in advancing national drowning prevention strategies, while Ghana is leading policy dialogue and regional cooperation. Mozambique and Nigeria were also commended for committing to stronger multisectoral coordination.
“These efforts reflect a growing recognition that drowning prevention is not only a public health priority but also essential for building safer communities and resilient economies,” Dr Janabi said.
He reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting African countries through improved governance, data systems, capacity building and scaling up proven interventions.
Dr Janabi called on governments to prioritise drowning prevention in national development agendas and urged communities to adopt simple safety measures, including supervising children near water, promoting swimming skills and using life jackets where necessary.
