Child injury prevention – A practical action

Injury prevention for children, especially traffic accidents, drowning, poisoning ... is one essential duty to families and society, especially when the summer has started.

In summer, in addition to creating useful playgrounds for children, we need to give swimming lessons to children to equip them with necessary skills so that they are able to protect themselves when having river accidents; and to encourage sports movements, foster new talents for provincial and national contests.

Families need to equip children with swimming skills for drowning prevention. Photo: Free swimming lessons for disadvantaged children at Binh Duong New City swimming pool.

According to statistics of districts, towns and city in the province, during 2013-2015, the province had 7,761 child injury cases causing 43 cases of child mortality including 30 cases of tragic child death due to drowning. Ms Trinh Thi Huyen, Deputy Head of Child Protection and Care Office under Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, said the reason was because children have not been given swimming lessons at young ages, or negligence of parents. During only a few careless seconds of parents, children could fall into ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, wells ... and be died from asphyxiation. Therefore, parents should closely monitor their children outside school hours. In many cases, children were involved in an accident outside the control of adults, thus equipping children with swimming skills is necessary to reduce the death risk. Therefore, right after the school year, summer time is a suitable time to organize swimming classes for children.

In order to implement Decision No 234 / QD-TTg dated Feb 5^th 2016 of the Prime Minister on approving Child accident, injury prevention program in 2016-2020, PPC set up provincial Child accident, injury prevention program in 2016-2020 to enhance child accident, injury control; especially child drowning accidents and traffic accidents, to ensure safety for children, the happiness of families and society. Accordingly, Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in collaboration with Department of Education - Training, Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Department of Transport, Binh Duong Radio – Television, Binh Duong Newspapers, provincial Youth Union , Women's Union, Farmers’ Union ... carried out propaganda works, provided documents, launched media campaigns on child drowning prevention, organized swimming classes for children to gradually improve swimming skills, prevent drowning accidents, train health for children in summer.

During 2015 summer swimming session, the province organized classes for thousands of pupils. Most children loved swimming and were interested in swimming skills to help themselves before having other rescue. Some children showed their talent in swimming and then took part in local swimming movements. In 2016 summer, Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs continues to cooperate with other departments to give free swimming classes to 1,000 poor children at 9/9 districts, towns and city; print flyers, brochures of child drowning prevention; hold Children “Good swimming” contest for children in difficult circumstances of Binh Duong province in early August.

It can be seen that child drowning prevention in summer is considered as a urgent matter that needs the attention of the whole society and to be implemented with the cooperation of departments, unions, families and schools to disseminate information, remind children of drowning prevention. More than ever, we need to foster the control, improve the role and responsibilities of sectors, levels in child drowning prevention.

Reported by Huynh Thuy – Translated by Ngoc Huynh