Parents' Attention Plays Important Role in Protecting Children From Drowning
	Strengthening Efforts to Prevent and Combat Child Drowning in Vietnam

Dang Hoa Nam, Director of the Department of Children, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs

Dang Hoa Nam, Director of the Department of Children, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs

Continuing the implementation of effective intervention measures

To enhance local drowning prevention efforts, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs is reassessing the goals and measures within the action plan aimed at preventing child injuries, with a particular focus on drowning. The objective is to achieve a 10% reduction in the rate of child fatalities from drowning over the next five years.

This is an ambitious goal, yet entirely achievable if communities persist in developing policies and implementing effective intervention. These could include: enhancing communication to elevate community awareness about drowning prevention; broadening the availability of swimming lessons and water safety training for children; constructing secure living conditions, particularly in regions prone to drowning; and installing cautionary signage and forming surveillance teams in areas of high drowning risks.

These initiatives are not overly costly but they need resources to be deployed in a coordinated and efficient manner, with the aim of achieving a reduction in child fatalities due to drowning.

Kelly Larson - Director of Bloomberg Philanthropies' Injury Prevention Program

Kelly Larson - Director of Bloomberg Philanthropies' Injury Prevention Program

Continuing promotion of closer collaboration between ministries and agencies in the implementation of swimming classes

The inter-sectoral collaboration for drowning prevention showcases the dedication of various ministries and agencies to guarantee the nationwide synchronous implementation of survival swimming classes for children aged 6-15. My recommendation is to maintain and enhance this cooperative effort.

Bloomberg Philanthropies initially aimed to teach 50,000 children how to swim. The Vietnamese government, however, raised the target to 100,000 children. Currently, over 30,000 children have received free swimming lessons. Bloomberg Philanthropies is committed to collaborating with Vietnam to reach this new objective.

Agarwal Vandana Shah, Vice President of Health Systems Strengthening, CTFK/GHAI, USA

Agarwal Vandana Shah, Vice President of Health Systems Strengthening, CTFK/GHAI, USA

Increasing the involvement of families, schools, and localities

Communities, parents, and families play a vital role in preventing child drownings. Before the implementation of Vietnam's drowning prevention program, the importance of swimming lessons for children was not widely acknowledged by parents. However, in regions where the program has been implemented, up to 42% of parents are now willing to invest in swimming lessons for their children. Looking ahead, there is a need to further raise awareness among schools and families about child safety and the risks of drowning, as well as to improve the availability of survival swimming classes for children.

The Vietnam drowning prevention program is currently active in 12 localities. Our goal is to expand this model to additional provinces and cities soon, allowing for local ownership and sustainable implementation. Concurrently, we aim to secure increased commitment and involvement from local authorities, the private sector, and socialized resources to ensure the program's sustainable execution throughout Vietnam.

Doan Thu Huyen, Representative of Campaign for Tobacco - Free Kids, USA in Vietnam

Doan Thu Huyen, Representative of Campaign for Tobacco - Free Kids, USA in Vietnam

Promoting the role of parents, children, and teachers in protecting children from the risk of drowning

Drowning accidents happen very quickly, in just a few short moments. With the right awareness and timely action, we can change the situation in a more positive direction right within those urgent moments.

More than anyone else, parents, relatives, and teachers need to increase supervision of children's safety, creating conditions for children to learn swimming and safety skills in the water environment.

Hue City Enhances Awareness on Children Drowning Prevention Through activities and games, participants developed a practical understanding of the child drowning situation in Vietnam, the importance of equipping children with water safety skills, ...

Int'l Organizations Spoke Highly of Vietnam's Inter-sectoral Efforts in Preventing Drowning Delegates have noted that the involvement of various agencies and sectors has contributed to Vietnam's successful outcomes in preventing drownings.