Globally the extent of morbidity and mortality due to drowning is high. Most drowning deaths occur in developing countries where open water is commonly used for essential daily activities (collecting water, transportation, heavy rainfall etc). The World health Organization (WHO) has established recommendations structured into seven stages so as to understand the epidemiology of drowning, and to develop a cross-sectoral approach for the implementation of suitable interventions. However, the WHO recommendations have not been adopted in African countries, where Global Burden of Disease (GBD) estimates suggest continental rates of drowning are estimated to be highest.

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