Editorial

When you are ranked 12th from among 61 countries in the world for the number of citizens you lose to drowning every year, it is time to sit up and take notice. Sri Lanka has a problem with drowning and it needs to be tackled urgently at policy and implementation level. It just isn’t being done.

It is widely recognised that road accident fatalities are high in Sri Lanka. What is not known, or recognised, is that drowning comes at a close second. There are no State-led public awareness programmes (which typically have more weight and reach than private campaigns); there is no national policy; no coordinated strategic approach buttressed by effective implementation; and no leadership.

A national plan on a drowning prevention mechanism is yet to receive cabinet approval. It is not seen as a priority. Yet, according to anecdotal evidence, around 1,500 Sri Lankans die in the water each year. Official numbers, which are reliant on documentary records, place the figure at around 850-1000. On the lower limit, that is 4.4 deaths for 100,000 persons. Lakes, wells, open cisterns and the ocean are the most common drowning locations. Boating accidents are particularly common.

Ironically, these facts are known to key officials who could–if they felt motivated enough–lead a drowning prevention programme in the country. Organisations like Life Saving Sri Lanka (LSSL), supported by Australia’s Life Saving Victoria, have produced plans and papers to highlight the problem and identify solutions in keeping with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for national plans. Some initial work has been done with disaster management and health authorities.

But the subject needs much wider collaboration and cooperation because a plan for drowning prevention must necessarily contain elements of tourism, military and safety services, education, regulation and others. It is not a one-pronged initiative.

There must be an independent unit supported by the highest level of government to bring all these actors together under one umbrella. Sri Lanka has to follow international best practice. This unit must have the mandate to establish a national plan and work closely with key ministries.

While organisations like LSSL have been advocating for years, floating recommendations and pointing to practical measures that could be taken to slash Sri Lanka’s drowning deaths, there has been no movement. There was to have been a national committee. There is none. But there is a surplus of bureaucratic inertia.

In July last year, a workshop on drowning prevention brought together relevant institutions. Official floated some lofty ideas. They agreed, for instance, to develop and operate a national drowning data surveillance system; to develop a sustainable drowning data surveillance system linking provincial, district and local government mechanism; and to establish data sharing processes, systems and protocols.

They decided to have “risk profiles” for beaches and waterways; to mitigate those risks based on the profiles; to endorse international aquatic safety signage and create local public awareness campaigns on risks; and to communicate and manage water safety information.

They consented to develop and include a swim-for-safety education programme in the school and higher education curricula; to provide grassroots awareness; to create lifesaving teams in institutions, corporate sector and among communities; and to establish national beach and pool safety guidelines. Little or nothing has been done.

Local and international experts are willing to help the Government take action. A good start, they say, would be to ensure that every child in the country learns basic swimming which is a vital skill that can one day help save a life. And we don’t need hundreds of pools to do that. The vast number of water bodies in the country, including lakes, can be put to use safely and effectively. At times of water-related disasters, like floods, the basic ability to be safe in water will reduce fatalities.

Drowning prevention, these experts say, must also be encouraged for the economic benefits it can bring. Sri Lanka has thousands of kilometres of beach with an abundance of breathtaking inland waterways including rivers, lakes, reservoirs and tanks. And yet, hotels that typically advertise their beachfront properties warn their guests, once they get there, not to get into the water; that the sea is not safe.

But parts of even these beaches can be turned into safe areas for swimming with the introduction of lifeguards and lifesavers, and the waters without rip tides being clearly marked. Having safer beaches and more opportunities for water-based activities will only increase Sri Lanka’s touristic value and lead to better use of natural assets. Measures can be introduced to prevent drowning in all water bodies. Other countries are doing it.

The WHO observes that, regardless of a country’s economic development, drowning often hits the poorest and least-educated people who live in rural settings (especially around water), and communities with the least resources to safely adapt to the risks around them. Drowning rates are also disproportionately high among minority populations in places where overall drowning rates are low, including in high-income countries.

It is of vital importance that Sri Lanka establishes a drowning database that contains such information as the personal profiles of the victims and the location of the incident. It is important also to record his or her place of residence so there can be targeted action when it comes to awareness and education.

Recently, President Maithripala Sirisena’s office gave instructions to the Chief of Defence Staff to take leadership in introducing and implementing a drowning prevention programme in Sri Lanka. It is hoped this might finally lead to some progress–involving all stakeholders including the LSSL, the military and Sri Lanka Coastguard–in a badly-neglected area of public health.

This is not the time for piecemeal, poorly-informed and fragmented solutions. The answers are clear, known and have been conceptualised. If it does this right, Sri Lanka can be the best in the world in water safety.