Drowning a ‘new epidemic’ in SA
WITH the hot weather upon us, there are concerns that the country will see an epidemic of drownings as new stats show about 1 500 people drown every year.
A study by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) provided alarming insights into fatal drownings in South Africa from 2016 to 2021. Just this past Sunday the Institute was kept busy with a fatal drowning at Glentana Beach on Sunday.
NSRI Mossel Bay duty coxswain Andre Fraser said: “On arrival it was found that a local neighbourhood watch member had rescued a woman, believed to be 35, from Mossel Bay, from the water. CPR efforts commenced. Sadly, she was declared deceased by paramedics.”
According to the NSRI’s study fatal drownings have increased in recent years, becoming a serious public health concern.
This had prompted organisations to advocate for drowning prevention interventions. However, for these to be targeted, guidance from epidemiological data for South Africa was needed – now provided through this study.
“A South African Epidemiological Study of Fatal Drownings: 2016-2021” was authored by NSRI drowning prevention executive director Jill Fortuin, statistical consultant at UCT Innocent Karangwa, NSRI drowning prevention research assistant Nongcebo Mahlalela, and NSRI CEO Cleeve Robertson.
The authors found that because most recommended drowning prevention interventions were designed for developed countries, these may not be applicable to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like South Africa.
“LMICs have been referred to as having the highest burden of global drownings. Approximately 90% of the annual global drownings occur in LMICs. Furthermore, Africa has been reported to have the highest drowning rates. Varying reasons have been cited, including the lack of drowning prevention initiatives, the lack of regulations and policies related to drowning prevention, insufficient water safety awareness
and education campaigns, and a lack of basic swimming skills,” the authors said.
The statistics revealed the 0-4 age group had the highest prevalence of drowning, and males represented 81% of all the drownings (which could be attributed to more risky behaviour, said the authors).
Fortuin said: “What we are seeing is that one child drowns every day, under the age of 4 years old – and within 20m of their home.”
The NSRI’s message this festive season is for people to supervise children diligently.
“We are urging extreme caution to South Africans who will be making their way to the coast: to not drink and swim, to supervise children in and around the water and ensure that you know the emergency number,” Fortuin said.
The study indicated an abundance of resources were deployed to prevent drownings in the ocean, but drownings occurred more often in freshwater in South Africa.
Lifesaving South Africa (LSA) drowning prevention director Mziwoxolo Mayedwa said about 1 500 people, mostly the youth, drown every year in the country and according to the World Health Organization, drowning was regarded as the third leading cause of unintentional injury worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injuryrelated deaths.
Mayedwa said drowning incidents were increasing because South Africa was not a swimming nation, but LSA believed that conducting water safety and drowning prevention education was not enough – members of the public needed to learn to swim.