Drowning deaths of children under 9 up 8% in 2022

The death rate of children under nine due to drowning increased 8% in the country in 2022 as some 1,130 people died in 12 months, a release said.

In 2022, 81% of those who drowned were under the age of nine and 61% died before their fourth birthday.

In 2020 and 2021, the drowning death rates for those under nine were 65% and 73%, respectively, according to media reports.

In these two years, respectively, 807 and 1,347 deaths were reported in the media.

The figures were obtained by analysing 1,130 drowning deaths published in the media in the last 12 months. About 94% of drowning deaths in 2022 were under the age of 18.

Among them, 556 are four years old or below, 363 are 5 to 9 years old, 102 were 10-14 years old and 43 were 15-18 years old and 66 people were over 18 years of age.

Society for Media and Suitable Human-communication Techniques (SoMaSHTe), in collaboration with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), prepared and published the data on drowning deaths based on the reports published in national and local media and news portals.

Media reports show that 1,130 people died in 886 drowning incidents last year. The highest number of 282 people drowned in the Chattogram division, while 160 people in Rangpur division, 149 in Dhaka, 131 in Barisal, 110 in Rajshahi, 104 in Mymensingh, 103 in Khulna, and 91 in Sylhet division.

The highest, 73, people drowned in the Chattogram district last year, followed by Panchagarh, Netrakona, Chandpur, Cox's Bazar, and Patuakhali districts.