GCC Health Council issues drowning prevention guidelines as deaths top 300,000 annually

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Health Council has revealed that drowning incidents claim the lives of more than 300,000 people worldwide each year. The council emphasized that knowledge of first aid skills and their rapid application in the first moments after an incident are crucial for saving lives and preventing fatalities.

The council highlighted that the first step in responding to a drowning incident is to ensure the rescuer's own safety and avoid jumping into the water without proper assessment. Instead, rescuers should use aids such as ropes, floats, or poles to safely pull the victim to shore. Once the victim is out of the water, their responsiveness and ability to breathe should be assessed within 5 to 10 seconds by calling out and gently tapping the shoulder, while observing chest movement and listening for breathing sounds.

If the victim is breathing, they should be placed in the recovery position and their vital signs monitored until medical teams arrive. If the person is not breathing, emergency medical assistance should be requested immediately, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should begin without delay. This involves 30 consecutive chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths, repeating the cycle at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute until breathing resumes or specialized teams take over.

View the post on X

Swimming safety and prevention guidelines

The GCC Health Council urged the public to follow basic preventive measures to reduce drowning incidents, including:

• Maintaining constant supervision of children near water.

• Installing secure fencing around pools and home swimming areas.

• Visiting only beaches and pools equipped with lifeguards and rescue equipment.

• Wearing brightly colored swimwear to make swimmers more visible in the water.