Saudi Arabia Reports 275 Drowning Cases Since the Beginning of 2023

According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Red Crescent has received 275 reports of drowning incidents in swimming pools over the course of the last seven months in various parts of Saudi Arabia.

Makkah reported 95 drowning cases, Riyadh 54, Al-Sharqiyah 31 cases, and Jazan 23 cases. Makkah had the highest number of drowning incidents reported.

The Ministry reported that as of the beginning of 2023, Al-Qassim had recorded 20 reports, Madinah had recorded 19, Asir had recorded 13, Najran and Tabuk had recorded 6, Al-Baha had recorded 4, Hail had recorded 3, and Al-Jouf had recorded 1, but there had been no reports of swimming pools along the Northern Border.

The Ministry of Health has issued warnings to parents against being careless when dealing with youngsters who are unable to swim, which can result in their drowning and a lot of following fatalities and injuries.

According to the Ministry, children are the group most at risk of drowning, particularly kids and people who live close to open water sources and swimming pools.

In response to these reports of drownings, the Ministry has started a campaign to raise community awareness of the most critical health advice during the summer months. The most important of these tips is the recommendation to swim, especially given that drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death worldwide.

The Ministry emphasized the significance of watching over and paying attention to kids when they swim in order to prevent drowning, as well as the necessity of having an adult nearby in case of an incident involving drowning.

In addition to making sure that kids who can't swim wear life jackets, it's also important to start teaching them how to swim and how to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) at a young age.

Regarding the safeguards at the pool, it's crucial to make sure that the area is free of any sharp objects, stones, glass, or other items that could cause slipping, and to make sure that the pool is closed and not in use.