Experts: Low-Cost Community-Led Measures Crucial to Prevent Drowning

Drowning remains a leading but underreported cause of child mortality in India, often misclassified as an "unnatural death," and is entirely preventable with low-cost measures, according to Kate Eardley, Head of International Advocacy at the UK-based Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

States like West Bengal, particularly vulnerable areas such as the Sundarbans, see high risks for young children left unsupervised near water bodies, prompting RNLI's partnership with the Child in Need Institute (CINI) to provide CPR training and raise awareness among mothers about supervision and safety barriers.

Eardley emphasizes the need for cautious policies, such as making swimming mandatory in schools, but only with proper infrastructure, alongside tailored state-level action plans that integrate drowning prevention into existing programs like ICDS and ASHA, while addressing funding gaps.

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In the long term, incorporating water safety education and community training into national health budgets could significantly reduce deaths, drawing from successful models in Africa and Southeast Asia, though India's vast geography requires localized approaches to overcome barriers.

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