KAMPALA— Following a rise in drowning incidents across Uganda, experts are urging the government to more actively involve local communities in water safety initiatives.
The call comes after multiple media reports detailed recent drownings, including the deaths of seven people in Lake Victoria last week.
Steve Wills, a UK-based drowning prevention expert with 25 years of experience working with United Nations agencies, said community involvement in water safety education is crucial to reducing drowning cases in Uganda.
“Community involvement is the most cost-effective approach to addressing the country’s drowning crisis,” he said.
Speaking during a monitoring and evaluation tour of a drowning prevention project implemented by Reach A Hand Uganda in the Rakai, Mayuge, and Masaka districts, Wills explained that while investing heavily in drowning prevention infrastructure can be expensive, empowering people with knowledge through survival swimming or safe water practices is a more budget-friendly and effective intervention.
While data collection on drowning incidents in African countries remains limited, the World Health Organization ranks drowning as the third leading cause of unintentional injury fatalities globally, accounting for about 370,000 deaths annually.
According to a recent study by Makerere School of Public Health, over 1,435 fatal and non-fatal drowning cases were recorded in over 60 Ugandan districts between January 2016 and June 2018.
Although the latest Uganda Police annual crime report indicates a slight decline in drowning cases in 2024, it remains the most significant water-related cause of death in the country.
Wills noted that countries worldwide face similar challenges in addressing drowning, including a lack of policies, limited resources, climate change, and social issues such as gender inequality and poverty.
However, he emphasized the importance of policy awareness among decision-makers and government involvement in community initiatives.
“There’s no point in having a few interventions in isolated communities if you cannot scale them. If you want to bring drowning rates down at the national level, the government must take a leading role,” Wills added.
Wills also highlighted the need to include women and girls in drowning prevention efforts, noting that they are often excluded from public safety campaigns in conservative communities. He cited his experience in Zanzibar, where partnering with local female trainers who could teach girls in comfortable, private spaces was key to inclusivity.
He referenced the World Health Organization’s recommended interventions, which Uganda could adapt nationally, including survival swimming programs, the use of life jackets, especially by fishermen, and implementing water safety policies and regulations.
“Uganda has made some strides, but without proper policy frameworks and enforcement, the efforts remain fragmented,” he said. “Communities should be at the center of every solution. NGOs and government agencies can facilitate, but the knowledge must live within families and communities.”
During the tour, local residents shared their experiences in high-risk lakeside areas. Siraje Kato, an LC1 chairperson and long-time resident, recounted the frequent drowning incidents in his community, noting that seven people had drowned recently, many in preventable circumstances. He pointed out that many residents rely on fishing but lack basic swimming skills.
Kagayi Nuldin, a trainer with the Omanyi Okuwuga Project, shared an incident involving a relative attacked by a hippopotamus, believing basic rescue training could have changed the outcome.
The Omanyi Okuwuga (Do You Know How to Swim?) Project, implemented by Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU), is a two-year program focused on providing survival swimming skills and raising awareness in lakeside communities. The initiative has established swimming pools in three districts, placed drowning prevention murals in schools, and developed a survival swimming guide.
Reach A Hand Uganda is a youth-led non-profit organization that focuses on empowering young people in Uganda through advocacy, awareness campaigns, and community engagement on issues including sexual and reproductive health and rights, education, mental health, gender equality, and economic empowerment.
