IMRF Contributes to Global Drowning Prevention Efforts with WHO

The IMRF has taken part in a series of high-level World Health Organization (WHO) meetings and events in Bangkok, focused on advancing global drowning prevention strategies. 

Key contributions included supporting the newly formed global working group developing a policy package to guide national drowning prevention efforts, facilitating and presenting at the Bi-regional Workshop for WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific Regions, and engaging in the Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention event. The latter highlighted intersectoral collaboration and marked the launch of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Status Report on Drowning Prevention. 

IMRF Project Manager Steve Wills brought maritime safety expertise into the discussions, ensuring that maritime search and rescue (SAR) was considered as part of global drowning prevention efforts. His input generated strong interest from a number of countries looking to strengthen SAR capabilities and build national lifesaving capacity. 

These events mark an important step in aligning global efforts and ensuring that technical guidance reflects real-world needs. The IMRF remains committed to supporting WHO and Member States in accelerating action to prevent drowning - particularly by strengthening SAR capacity in lower-resource settings.