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Increase in children’s death by drowning
DATE: 2007-04-24
When you look into the tragic incidents that occur within the islands in the past, the most major concern would be cases of children falling into low wells and drowning. However these cases normally happen rarely enough where people have enough time to grieve and forget the sad incident till the next case. In contrast to this, nowadays children are more subjected to death by drowning while swimming and sadly these cases seem to be on the rise lately.
In relation to this we have had two similar cases of two children drowning even last week.
During last year two people have reportedly drowned in Laamu atoll Gan island and one such case from a resort. In the same year on November 10th a child also drowned while swimming in Fuvahmulah. On December 18th an eighteen year old had been reportedly drowned in Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Gadhdhoo.
When you look at these reports, drowning of children and adults have even become something of a norm now.
“In my opinion the reason that there is an increase in drowning cases of children is that the parents are not paying attention as they should,” according to a local lifeguard stationed at the artificial beach in Male. “In the islands where children have the freedom of just going for a swim whenever they want, the parents are just not attentive enough.”
When the artificial beach was first opened to the public, three children drowned before the Male Municipality thought of stationing lifeguards.
“It’s not an easy thing stationing lifeguards in all the islands,” said the lifeguard who wanted to remain anonymous. “However we really must come up with a similar strategy because we are now almost facing perhaps one drowning case per week or deaths of two children per month.”
According to Ibrahim Abdu Latheef from Haa Alifu atoll Utheem, who have remarked in relation to the case of drowning of an eight year old girl from the island, in recent cases of children under 18 who have died from drowning, it is noticed that most of the victims are known to be have suffered one health disorder or other. He said that he feels that the parents should start paying attention a lot more than they have now.
Recently, there has been a notable number of accidents of children falling off buildings and balconies. These incidents mainly happen due to the negligence on the parents’ part. However due to an increase in awareness amongst parents, such cases have somewhat decreased in number. But still the alarming increase in children drowning must be taken into account and steps should be taken to prevent such events from happening in the future.
“Awareness can be spread through programs conducted through schools in the islands among children and parents,” said the lifeguard. “Even now Police are conducting such programs every now and then.”
This sudden and alarming increase in children drowning all over Maldives in this day and age is certainly something to be contemplated about.
~ Translated from a report by Adam Haleem
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Posted on: 2008-07-23 |
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