Rising Drowning Cases Spark Urgent Calls for Community-Led Water Safety in Uganda
Following a string of tragic drowning incidents, including the recent loss of seven lives on Lake Victoria, experts are calling on the Ugandan government to actively involve communities in drowning prevention efforts.
Leading the charge is Steve Wills, a UK-based expert in drowning prevention with over 25 years of experience working with the United Nations. During a field tour of a community-driven initiative by Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU), Wills emphasized that education and community participation are the most cost-effective solutions to Uganda’s water safety crisis.
“Teaching survival swimming and safe water practices is far more impactful and budget-friendly than building expensive infrastructure,” Wills said during the tour in Rakai, Masaka, and Mayuge.
Despite data limitations, the World Health Organization estimates over 370,000 annual deaths from drowning globally, ranking it as the third-leading cause of unintentional injury-related fatalities.
In Uganda, a Makerere School of Public Health study found over 1,435 fatal and non-fatal drowning cases between 2016 and 2018 across 60 districts. Though the 2024 Uganda Police crime report notes a slight decline, drowning remains Uganda’s leading water-related cause of death.
Wills warned that Uganda faces the same systemic challenges as other countries: lack of national policies, underfunded programs, climate risks, and deep-rooted inequalities. He stressed that without government-led, scalable solutions, isolated efforts will fall short.
“Communities must be central to every intervention. Government leadership, combined with localized partnerships, is key to saving lives.”
He also highlighted the importance of including women and girls, especially in conservative areas. Drawing from his work in Zanzibar, he advocated for culturally sensitive training spaces led by trusted local female trainers.
RAHU’s two-year project—Omanyi Okuwuga (“Do You Know How to Swim?”)—is leading the way with practical action. So far, the program has:
- Constructed 3 community swimming pools
- Installed murals in schools promoting water safety
- Developed a survival swimming guide in local languages
Local leaders echo the urgency. Siraje Kato, an LC1 chairperson, recounted how his community buried seven drowning victims, most of whom died trying to rescue others.
Kagayi Nuldin, a trainer with the project, recalled a fatal incident involving a hippopotamus attack—one he believes could’ve ended differently with basic rescue skills.
Experts recommend Uganda adapt WHO’s global interventions, including the mandatory use of life jackets for fishermen, stronger enforcement of water safety policies, and national curriculum integration of swimming.
As deaths continue to mount, the message is clear: empowering communities with knowledge and survival skills can turn the tide in Uganda’s drowning crisis.
