“We feel proud of Bangladesh’s role as a global and national leader in drowning prevention and is saving lives. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, it is important for Bangladesh to reduce under 5 child drowning deaths to keep our promise to reduce child mortality as targeted in the SDGs. Through GO-NGO collaboration and raising community awareness like what we did in reducing MMR and disaster management, it is possible for Bangladesh to save many lives from drowning.”
Mr. M. A. Mannan MP, minister, ministry of planning, expressed his commitment in a roundtable at Bangabandhu International Convention Center Dhaka, held Monday 25 July 2022, organized by Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) in cooperation with Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI).
The chief guest of the event Mr. M. A. Mannan MP, said, “the government has already recognized the child drowning deaths as a serious child safety and protection concern and prioritizes prevention. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs has already launched a project to address the drowning issue from a child protection aspect.
Every year, an estimated 236,000 people drown, making drowning a major public health problem worldwide. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death globally for children. Drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths. The UN declared July 25 as “World Drowning Prevention Day” and encourage states to promote awareness, encourage national action, and share best practices, and key solutions to drowning. The resolution was proposed by Bangladesh and Ireland and co-sponsored by 79 nations. To celebrate the day, CAMPE organized the event at a local venue.
Special Guest of the event Ms. Aroma Datta MP, member of the committee on government assurances, Bangladesh parliament said, “Bangladesh government is committed to working on the welfare of women and children. In view of the increasing significance of focusing on this particular issue and the need for linking it with awareness building among parents and communities has now become an important area of the government”.
Rasheda K Chowdhury, Former Advisor to the Caretaker Government and the Executive Director of CAMPE said, “we are very happy that the Government of Bangladesh has adopted the community-based integrated childcare model. The holistic development of children in the integrated childcare centers will contribute to attaining SDG goals by 2030. If the government engages the NGOs in their drowning prevention programs, then it would be helpful to ensure maximum coverage with community participation.”
Ms. Vandana Shah, Director – South Asia Program, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids/Global Health Advocacy Incubator, said, “Our research-based pilot intervention showed that appropriate supervision and providing community childcare to under five years old reduced drowning death by 88%. We are happy to see that the Government of Bangladesh is supporting to scale up nationwide drowning prevention and early childhood development strategy.”
Dr. A. E. Muhiuddin Osmani, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and Mr. Abu Bakar Siddik, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education were also present in the program. Mr. Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Country Lead Bangladesh, Global Health Advocacy Incubator presented the key note paper.
Studies revealed that Bangladesh has one of the highest fatal drowning rates in the world. Every year almost 13,000 children die from drowning. Drowning accounts for 43% of deaths among children between the ages of one and four. Every day 30 children under five die from drowning and won’t be able to grow up and learn to swim.
ওয়েবসাইট ডিজাইন প্রযুক্তি সহায়তায়: ইয়োলো হোস্ট