Teachers teach students swimming skills in HCM City – Photo phunuonline.com

HCM CITY – HCM City seeks to teach 50 per cent of local children aged six to 16 how to swim by 2025 and 60 per cent by 2030, according to its recently approved drowning prevention programme.

The programme aims to have 90 per cent of households have access to information, knowledge and skills on child drowning prevention by 2025.

The city is trying to reduce for child drowning deaths by 10 per cent by 2025 compared to 2020, and 20 per cent by 2030.

Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyễn Thị Hà said that child drowning prevention is one of the top priorities in the National Action Plan to prevent and combat child accidents and injuries in 2022.

The city requested relevant authorities and organisations to raise awareness about the prevention of drowning for locals and organise swimming lessons for children.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, drowning is among the top 10 causes of death of children aged five to 14.

There have been 113 such deaths in the country this year as of May.  – VNS