Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered relevant ministries, people’s committees, and sectors to beef up measures to prevent drowning among children. 

The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs has been tasked with making sure that drowning prevention programs are effectively carried out, especially in localities with high rates of child drowning, via frequent inspections as well as reviewing and amending mechanisms and policies.

The Ministry of Education and Training is responsible for providing knowledge and skills on drowning prevention and control for schools, classes, and students, especially before summer vacation. 

The education ministry must focus on teaching swimming at schools, coordinate between schools and families to supervise students during school and summer breaks, and give localities instructions on the organization of swimming lessons.

It should also consider financial support, while reducing ticket prices and fees of swimming classes and related training for students and children.

Local authorities have been requested to strictly manage children during school breaks, summer holidays, and storms, floods, and other natural disasters.

They have also been ordered to place warning signs in dangerous areas and build funds for physical training activities for children.

Prime Minister Chinh’s order followed reports of many drownings across Vietnam recently.

More than 2,000 children aged under 16 years in the Southeast Asian country lose their lives every year due to drowning, the World Health Organization cited an estimate in 2020.

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