Saving children from drowning

Among more than 1,500 drowning deaths in Nepal in 2019, 31.8 percent were children under five.

Open and easy access to water carries the principal risk to drowning. Anyone living near open water sources such as ditches, ponds, irrigation canals or rivers, and those who lack swimming skills, are at a high risk of drowning. Most drownings among toddlers or young children occur in water bodies inside or nearby their homes. Nepali media also periodically reports some such incidents . It is heartbreaking to read about child death in buckets or similar containers of water used for domestic purposes, i.e., drinking, cooking, or cleaning. Despite being an invaluable resource, water stored inside the homes often becomes a cause of death for the youngest members of families.