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| Supervision, life jackets, swimming education and safer environments can prevent many drowning deaths. |
Drowning can happen quickly, quietly and in places people do not usually consider dangerous.
A young child may fall into an uncovered well or water-filled container. A passenger may be thrown from an overcrowded boat. A strong swimmer may become exhausted in a current. A family may attempt to walk or drive through floodwater without knowing its depth or force.
These incidents are often described as unavoidable accidents. However, many drowning deaths can be prevented through better supervision, safer infrastructure, swimming and water-safety education, life-jacket use, emergency preparedness and effective rescue systems.
The World Health Organization estimates that drowning causes approximately 236,000 deaths globally each year and ranks among the leading causes of unintentional injury death. About 92% of drowning deaths occur in low and middle income countries, where exposure to open water is often high and access to organised water-safety services may be limited.
This makes drowning prevention especially relevant to Nigeria and other African countries, where rivers, wells, lakes, drainage channels, fishing activities, boat transport and seasonal flooding are part of everyday life.
In July 2026, WHO launched PROTECT, a technical package built around seven connected strategies for preventing drowning. These strategies cover safer physical environments, rescue and resuscitation, occupational safety, water-transport standards, swimming education, child protection and emergency preparedness.
This article explains those seven strategies and shows what families, schools, communities, transport operators and governments can do to save lives.
What Is Drowning?
Drowning is the process of experiencing difficulty breathing because of submersion or immersion in liquid.
A drowning incident can lead to one of three outcomes:
Death
Survival with injury or disability
Survival without lasting injury
The term drowning does not apply only when someone dies. A person who is rescued and survives has also experienced drowning if their breathing was affected while under or in water.
Expressions such as “near drowning,” “dry drowning” and “secondary drowning” are often used online, but they are not separate medical diagnoses in the internationally accepted definition of drowning.
Anyone who has experienced breathing difficulty after being submerged should receive prompt medical assessment, especially if coughing, chest discomfort, unusual tiredness, confusion or breathing problems continue.
Drowning Is Often Silent
Films often portray a drowning person shouting, waving and splashing dramatically. Real drowning may look very different.
A person struggling to keep their mouth above water may not be able to call for help. Their arms may be pushing down against the water rather than waving. Their body may remain upright, with little or no visible kicking.
Warning signs may include:
The mouth repeatedly sinking below and rising above the water
The head tilted backwards
Eyes closed, unfocused or glassy
Hair covering the face
An upright body with little leg movement
Gasping or struggling to breathe
An attempt to roll onto the back
Sudden silence from a child who had been playing in water
Adults supervising children should not depend on hearing shouting or splashing. Active visual supervision is essential.
Where Can Drowning Occur?
Drowning is not limited to oceans and swimming pools. It can occur in:
Rivers and streams
Lakes and lagoons
Wells and borehole pits
Drainage channels
Irrigation canals
Floodwater
Bathtubs
Buckets and basins
Water-storage tanks
Fishponds
Swimming pools
Boats, ferries and canoes
Construction pits filled with rainwater
The United Nations notes that many drownings in low and middle income countries occur in rivers, lakes, wells, swimming pools and domestic water-storage containers.
For a baby or toddler, even a relatively small quantity of water can be dangerous when the face becomes submerged and the child cannot lift or reposition themselves.
Who Is Most at Risk of Drowning?
Anyone can drown, including experienced swimmers. However, some people face greater risks.
Children under five
Young children are curious, mobile and unable to recognise many water hazards. They may enter water without understanding its depth or danger.
They can also drown in places adults overlook, including buckets, baths, uncovered wells and water-storage containers.
Protecting children requires a broad approach to health and safety. Parents who are learning about water safety may also find AnjKreb’s guide to immunization coverage and childhood vaccination in Nigeria useful. Both vaccination and injury prevention are practical parts of protecting children from avoidable illness, disability and death.
School-age children and adolescents
Older children may swim or play near rivers, ponds and drainage channels without supervision. Peer pressure, overconfidence and limited knowledge of currents or water depth can increase risk.
Children who know how to swim may still be unsafe if they have not learned survival skills, safe rescue techniques and how to recognise hazardous conditions.
Men and boys
Men and adolescent boys often have greater exposure to fishing, boating, swimming, water transport and risk-taking behaviour. Alcohol use, overconfidence and failure to wear life jackets can further increase risk.
Fishermen and other water-based workers
Fishers, boat operators, rescue personnel and people whose jobs involve rivers, lakes or coastal water may face repeated exposure to dangerous conditions.
Risk increases when workers lack:
Properly maintained boats
Weather information
Communication devices
Life jackets
Emergency plans
Rescue training
Safe working schedules
Boat and ferry passengers
Passengers may be placed at risk by overcrowding, poor vessel maintenance, unsafe loading, severe weather, untrained operators and the absence of life jackets.
Children and adults should wear properly fitted life jackets throughout a water journey, not merely carry them inside the boat.
People affected by floods
Floodwater can conceal open drains, damaged roads, sharp materials, electrical hazards and fast-moving currents.
Flooding is especially dangerous because familiar streets and footpaths can become hazardous within a short period.
People with certain health conditions
Seizures, heart conditions, fainting episodes and mobility limitations can increase drowning risk. People with known medical conditions should take additional precautions around water and avoid swimming alone.
WHO’s Seven Strategies for Drowning Prevention
WHO’s 2026 PROTECT package presents seven interconnected areas for action. These are not limited to personal behaviour. They show that preventing drowning requires families, communities, schools, transport regulators, health services and governments to work together.
1. Build Safer Physical Environments Around Water
The first strategy is to reduce unnecessary and uncontrolled access to water hazards.
Physical barriers can prevent children from reaching dangerous water when an adult looks away or becomes occupied.
Practical measures include:
Covering wells securely
Fencing swimming pools on all sides
Installing self-closing and self-latching gates
Covering water-storage tanks
Emptying buckets and basins after use
Blocking access to construction pits
Placing barriers around ponds and canals
Repairing damaged drainage covers
Installing warning signs near hazardous water
Creating safe bridges and walkways across streams
These measures are especially important near homes, schools, childcare centres and busy community spaces.
A barrier should completely separate a child from the water. A wall on only one side of a pool or pond may not provide adequate protection.
What parents can do at home
Parents and caregivers should inspect the home and surrounding area from a child’s perspective.
Ask:
Can a child reach the well?
Is the water-storage container covered?
Does the bathroom contain a filled bucket?
Can a child open the pool gate?
Is there an open drainage channel near the house?
Are there water-filled containers in the compound?
Does rain collect in an abandoned pit?
Do not assume that a hazard is safe because no previous incident has occurred.
What communities can do
Community leaders can map local water hazards and prioritise low-cost improvements. A simple community walk may identify open wells, broken drains, unfenced ponds, unstable riverbanks and dangerous crossing points.
Community-based prevention is important in many areas of public health. AnjKreb’s article on community strategies for reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria similarly explains how education, early action and locally organised services can protect lives before an emergency develops.
2. Strengthen Rescue and Resuscitation
A fast and appropriate response can determine whether a drowning victim survives.
Communities near beaches, rivers, lakes and flood-prone areas should have trained responders, rescue equipment and clear procedures for contacting emergency services.
Essential rescue resources may include:
Lifebuoys
Throw ropes
Rescue poles
Life jackets
Boats suitable for rescue
First-aid kits
Communication equipment
Clearly displayed emergency contacts
Rescue without becoming another victim
An untrained person should avoid entering dangerous water to rescue someone because the rescuer may also drown.
Where possible, use the principle:
Reach, throw or row before you go.
This may involve:
Reaching with a long pole, paddle or branch
Throwing a floating object
Throwing a rope
Using a boat operated by a trained person
Calling trained rescue services
Entering deep or fast-moving water should be left to trained rescuers with appropriate equipment whenever possible.
Learn CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation can help maintain circulation and oxygen delivery after a drowning victim is removed from the water.
Parents, teachers, lifeguards, boat operators, fishers and community volunteers should be encouraged to receive recognised first-aid and CPR training.
Training should include practical demonstrations and periodic refresher sessions. Reading instructions online is not an adequate substitute for supervised, hands-on training.
UNICEF recommends close supervision, physical barriers and CPR training as important parts of child drowning prevention.
What to do after a rescue
Once the person is safely removed from the water:
Call for emergency medical help.
Check whether the person is responsive and breathing.
Begin CPR if the person is not breathing normally and you are trained to do so.
Use an automated external defibrillator if one is available and you are trained to use it.
Keep the person warm.
Do not assume that the person is fine simply because they regain consciousness.
Arrange urgent medical assessment.
Do not waste time trying to force water out of the lungs. Do not hang the person upside down or press repeatedly on the abdomen.
3. Improve Safety for People Who Work Around Water
Drowning prevention must include occupational health and safety.
People working around water should not have to depend only on personal experience or luck. Employers and authorities should establish clear safety standards.
These should cover:
Mandatory life-jacket use
Weather and water-condition monitoring
Safe working hours
Limits on boat loading
Regular vessel maintenance
Communication systems
Emergency drills
Rescue equipment
Worker training
Incident reporting
Fatigue management
Fishermen need more than swimming ability
Swimming ability does not remove the risk faced by a fisherman who falls from a boat far from shore, especially in rough water or while wearing heavy clothing.
A life jacket can help keep a person afloat while rescuers respond.
Employers, fishing associations and boat owners should ensure that safety equipment is available, functional and actually worn.
Record and learn from incidents
Drowning incidents and near misses should be documented. This helps authorities identify dangerous locations, unsafe work practices and recurring equipment failures.
Better data can guide decisions about where rescue posts, warning signs, barriers and safety patrols are most needed.
4. Make Water Transport Safer
Many people in riverine and coastal communities depend on boats and ferries for work, school, trade and healthcare access.
Water transport should be regulated as seriously as road or air transport.
Key measures include:
Licensing boat operators
Inspecting vessels
Preventing overloading
Enforcing passenger limits
Providing a life jacket for every passenger
Using child-sized life jackets
Monitoring weather conditions
Preventing travel during dangerous conditions
Installing navigation and communication equipment
Creating clear passenger manifests where appropriate
Providing emergency exits and rescue plans
Wear the life jacket, do not sit on it
A life jacket stored under a seat cannot protect someone during a sudden capsize.
Every passenger should wear a correctly fitted life jacket from the beginning to the end of the journey.
A proper life jacket should:
Be suitable for the person’s weight and size
Fasten securely
Be in good condition
Be designed for water safety
Be worn according to the manufacturer’s instructions
Inflatable toys, empty containers and pieces of foam are not reliable substitutes for approved flotation devices.
Avoid overloaded boats
An overloaded boat may sit too low in the water, become unstable and be harder to control. Passengers should not board vessels that appear dangerously crowded or poorly maintained.
Boat operators should never exceed approved capacity, even when passengers are willing to take the risk.
5. Teach Swimming, Water Safety and Safe Rescue Skills
Swimming is a valuable life skill, but swimming education must be delivered safely.
Children should learn through structured programmes led by trained instructors in controlled environments.
Training may include:
Entering and leaving water safely
Floating
Treading water
Moving through water
Recognising currents
Understanding water depth
Wearing a life jacket
Calling for help
Using reach-and-throw rescue methods
Avoiding dangerous rescue attempts
Swimming lessons reduce risk but do not make a child “drown-proof.” Supervision, barriers and life jackets remain necessary.
Schools can help
Schools can include age-appropriate water-safety lessons even when they do not have access to a swimming pool.
Classroom teaching can cover:
Local water hazards
Flood safety
Boat safety
Life-jacket use
Emergency contacts
Safe rescue behaviour
The dangers of swimming alone
Why alcohol and water do not mix
How to follow safety signs and warnings
Schools near rivers, lagoons, lakes or flood-prone areas should develop specific water-safety plans.
Never swim alone
Children and adults should avoid swimming alone, regardless of their level of experience.
Swimming should take place in designated areas where possible, with responsible supervision and awareness of weather, currents, depth and underwater hazards.
6. Strengthen Childcare and Safeguarding
Young children require active supervision around all forms of water.
Active supervision means that a responsible adult is:
Close enough to respond immediately
Watching the child continuously
Not using a phone
Not sleeping
Not drinking alcohol
Not distracted by conversation or household work
Not relying on an older child to supervise
UNICEF advises caregivers to remain within arm’s reach when a young child is in water and not to depend on another child or distracted adult to supervise.
Designate one responsible water watcher
At social events, pools or beaches, adults sometimes assume that someone else is watching the children. This creates dangerous gaps in supervision.
Assign one adult as the water watcher for a defined period. The person should not use a phone, prepare food or carry out another task during that period. Responsibility can then be formally handed to another adult.
Childcare can prevent drowning
In communities where parents work near farms, markets or water, supervised childcare can prevent young children from wandering towards ponds, wells, rivers or canals.
Community childcare programmes should have:
Safe locations away from open water
Secure boundaries
Trained caregivers
Attendance registers
Clear child handover procedures
Emergency plans
First-aid supplies
Protecting children from drowning should be integrated into wider child-survival efforts, including nutrition, immunisation, infection prevention and access to care.
7. Prepare for Floods and Other Water-Related Emergencies
Floods can occur gradually or develop quickly after intense rainfall, dam releases, drainage failure or river overflow.
WHO’s PROTECT package includes preparedness for floods and other emergencies because disaster-related drowning requires planning before water begins to rise.
Before a flood
Families should:
Know whether they live in a flood-risk area
Identify higher ground
Know local evacuation routes
Store emergency telephone numbers
Prepare essential medicines and documents
Keep a torch and charged phone available
Monitor reliable weather and emergency alerts
Plan how children, older people and people with disabilities will evacuate
Avoid constructing barriers that trap water inside the home
Move early when authorities issue evacuation instructions
During a flood
Move to higher ground.
Keep children close.
Do not play, swim or bathe in floodwater.
Do not walk through fast-moving water.
Do not drive through a flooded road.
Do not cross bridges covered by water.
Avoid riverbanks and drainage channels.
Follow official evacuation instructions.
Switch off electricity only when it is safe to do so.
Do not return to collect property when water is rising.
UNICEF advises people to avoid walking, swimming or driving through fast-moving floodwater and to move to higher ground.
Why driving through floodwater is dangerous
Floodwater may be deeper or faster than it appears. It can conceal a collapsed road, open drain or damaged bridge.
Moving water can knock people down and sweep vehicles away. The safest action is to turn back and use another route rather than attempting to judge the depth from inside a vehicle.
After a flood
Floodwater may contain sewage, chemicals, broken glass, displaced animals and electrical hazards.
After flooding:
Keep children away from standing water.
Wear protective footwear when cleaning.
Avoid damaged electrical installations.
Treat cuts promptly.
Use safe drinking water.
Follow public-health advice about contaminated food and water.
Return home only when authorities say it is safe.
Practical Drowning Prevention Checklist for Parents
Parents and caregivers can use this checklist at home:
Cover every well and water-storage tank.
Empty buckets and baths immediately after use.
Keep bathroom doors closed when young children are present.
Fence pools and ponds.
Keep children within arm’s reach near water.
Assign a responsible adult to supervise.
Enrol children in age-appropriate swimming and water-safety lessons.
Use properly fitted life jackets during boat travel.
Teach children never to swim alone.
Keep rescue equipment near pools and water bodies.
Learn CPR through an accredited practical course.
Avoid phone use while supervising children.
Keep children away from floodwater.
Identify local emergency contacts.
Discuss water safety regularly rather than only before a trip.
Water Safety for Schools
Schools should assess whether pupils are exposed to water hazards while travelling to school, during recreation or near school grounds.
A school water-safety plan should include:
Mapping nearby water hazards
Covering drains and pits
Restricting access to ponds and canals
Teaching flood safety
Training staff in first aid
Establishing emergency communication procedures
Supervising school trips near water
Requiring life jackets for boat travel
Obtaining parent or guardian consent for water activities
Conducting regular safety drills
Schools in riverine areas should not allow pupils to travel in overloaded boats or without suitable life jackets.
Water Safety for Boat Operators
Boat operators carry a serious duty of care.
Before every journey, operators should check:
Weather conditions
Vessel condition
Fuel level
Passenger capacity
Life-jacket availability
Communication equipment
Rescue equipment
Navigation lights where necessary
Emergency procedures
The presence of child-sized life jackets
Operators should refuse to travel when conditions are unsafe, regardless of pressure from passengers.
Water Safety for Communities
Drowning prevention works best when the entire community takes responsibility.
Communities can:
Map drowning hotspots
Cover abandoned wells
Repair unsafe drains
Fence dangerous ponds
Place warning signs
Establish local rescue teams
Train volunteers in CPR
Improve lighting near waterways
Report unsafe boats
Advocate for life-jacket enforcement
Create supervised childcare
Include drowning prevention in community meetings
Record drowning incidents and near misses
Develop flood evacuation plans
Community systems are also vital for other major public-health challenges. AnjKreb’s discussion of TB and HIV co-infection and community linkage in Nigeria shows how local referral networks and community participation can connect people to life-saving services.
How Technology Can Support Drowning Prevention
Technology cannot replace supervision, barriers or life jackets, but it can support prevention.
Useful applications include:
Weather-warning alerts
Flood-risk maps
Emergency communication systems
GPS tracking for regulated water transport
Digital passenger records
Incident-reporting platforms
Drones for surveillance and emergency assessment
Online water-safety education
Public-health dashboards showing drowning hotspots
Technology should be designed for the local context. Systems that depend on constant internet access may be less effective in remote communities unless offline alternatives are available.
Digital tools are most effective when they complement reliable human systems. This principle also applies to personal health services such as HIV self-testing in Nigeria, where access to a tool must be supported by clear information, confirmatory services and pathways to professional care.
Common Drowning Myths
Myth 1: A drowning person will always shout for help
A person who cannot breathe normally may be unable to shout. Drowning can be quiet and difficult to recognise.
Myth 2: Strong swimmers cannot drown
Experienced swimmers can become exhausted, injured, trapped, disoriented or overwhelmed by currents and weather.
Myth 3: Children are safe when many adults are nearby
A crowd does not guarantee supervision. Everyone may assume that another person is watching.
Myth 4: Swimming lessons remove the need for supervision
Swimming lessons reduce risk but do not eliminate it. Children still need close supervision and safe environments.
Myth 5: Inflatable toys are the same as life jackets
Pool toys and inflatable rings are not designed to provide reliable life-saving flotation.
Myth 6: Floodwater is safe if it looks shallow
The road underneath may be damaged, the current may be strong and the depth may change suddenly.
Myth 7: Only deep water is dangerous
Young children can drown in baths, buckets, drains and other shallow water.
Myth 8: A rescued person needs no care once they appear normal
Anyone who experienced breathing difficulty after submersion should be medically assessed, particularly if symptoms continue.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can drowning happen?
Drowning can develop rapidly. This is why continuous supervision and immediate response are important.
Can a baby drown in a bucket?
Yes. Babies and toddlers can fall head-first into buckets or containers and may be unable to lift themselves out.
What is the best way to protect a swimming pool?
A four-sided fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate is safer than barriers that use the house as one side of the enclosure.
Are arm floats safe for children?
They may support recreation but should not be treated as life-saving equipment. They do not replace a certified life jacket or active adult supervision.
Should children learn to swim?
Age-appropriate swimming and water-survival education can reduce risk when delivered by trained instructors in a safe environment. It does not replace supervision.
Can someone who knows how to swim rescue another person?
An untrained rescuer can be pulled underwater by a panicking victim. Use a reaching or throwing aid and call trained rescue services whenever possible.
Should people wear life jackets in small boats?
Yes. Capsizing can happen suddenly, regardless of boat size or journey length.
Is floodwater dangerous when it is not moving?
Yes. Standing floodwater may contain open drains, electricity, sewage, sharp objects, chemicals and infectious hazards.
Is alcohol a drowning risk?
Yes. Alcohol can impair judgement, coordination, balance and reaction time. It should be avoided when swimming, boating or supervising children near water.
Should a rescued person be turned upside down?
No. Do not delay CPR or emergency care by attempting to drain water from the lungs.
What should schools teach about drowning prevention?
Schools should teach local water hazards, safe swimming behaviour, life-jacket use, flood safety, emergency communication and safe rescue methods.
Who is responsible for preventing drowning?
Responsibility is shared among individuals, families, schools, communities, boat operators, employers, health services and governments.
When to Seek Urgent Medical Care
Seek emergency help after any drowning incident involving breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness or prolonged submersion.
Urgent warning signs include:
Difficulty breathing
Persistent coughing
Chest pain
Confusion
Extreme tiredness
Vomiting
Blue or unusually pale lips
Reduced responsiveness
Abnormal breathing
Loss of consciousness
Do not leave the person alone while arranging care.
Final Thoughts
Drowning is a major but preventable public-health problem.
The most effective approach does not depend on one intervention alone. It combines safer environments, active supervision, swimming and water-safety education, life jackets, regulated water transport, trained rescue services and flood preparedness.
For families, the most important steps are simple:
Watch children closely. Cover wells and water containers. Wear life jackets. Avoid flooded roads. Learn safe rescue methods. Prepare before emergencies occur.
For governments and communities, the task is broader. Water safety must be built into transport regulation, childcare, schools, occupational health, disaster management, infrastructure and emergency medical services.
Every barrier installed, every life jacket worn, every child supervised and every responder trained represents an opportunity to prevent a death.
Drowning prevention is not only about teaching people to be careful. It is about creating communities in which safety does not depend on luck.
Sources and Further Reading
World Health Organization. Drowning fact sheet
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drowningWorld Health Organization. WHO launches seven strategies to prevent drowning
https://www.who.int/news/item/23-07-2026-who-launches-seven-strategies-to-prevent-drowningWorld Health Organization. Technical package for drowning prevention
https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/safety-and-mobility/technical-package-for-drowning-preventionWorld Health Organization. World Drowning Prevention Day 2026
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-drowning-prevention-day/2026UNICEF. Drowning prevention tips for families
https://www.unicef.org/parenting/safety/drowning-prevention-tipsUNICEF. Flood safety information
https://www.unicef.org/parenting/emergencies/flood-safety-informationCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. Global drowning prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/prevention/about-global-drowning-prevention.html
Medical and Safety Disclaimer
This article provides general educational information and does not replace certified first-aid training, professional medical advice or instructions from emergency authorities. After any serious submersion or breathing difficulty in water, contact emergency services and obtain urgent medical assessment.
About the Author
Adeyinka Joseph Alonge is a public health professional, researcher and writer with interests spanning health, science, technology, personal development and practical knowledge for everyday life.
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