As many as 2,000 children and teenagers drown in Vietnam every year, 10 times higher compared to other developing countries, a workshop was told in Hanoi on Dec. 15.

A panoramic view of the workshop

The workshop, jointly held by the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Education and Information and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), indicated that drowning was the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the country.

Notably, drownings mostly occured in children aged under five, accounting for 90%, while 50% of cases happened to those aged under 25.

Statistics also showed the rate of drowning mortality in rural areas is four times higher in comparison with cities.

According to MoLISA Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Ha, thanks to the country’s efforts to drive down these figures, the mortality rate caused by drowning among children has witnessed a decline, although the figure still remains high.

Deputy Minister Ha added that many of the deaths occurred in the summer when children are off from school and often lack of supervision from parents.

Addressing the seminar, Doan Thi Huyen, the director of the national child drowning prevention programme, said traffic accidents and drownings are the leading causes of injuries in Vietnam. In addition, falls, self-inflicted violence, burns, and poisoning are among the other top causes.

It is imperative to strengthen and improve the healthcare system in an effort to prevent deaths and injuries in children, Huyen said.