Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Quang Tri(VNA) – Authorities in the central province of Quang Tri have coordinated withlocal organisations to open free swimming courses for local children in thehope of minimizing child drowning, especially in rural and remote areas.
The courses aredesigned to equip children with necessary skills to avoid drowning andaccidents, while raising children and parents’ awareness of protecting theirhealth and life.
As part of activities toprevent child drowning in 2018 launched by the provincial Ho Chi Minh CommunistYouth Union, the union’s chapters in Hai Lang, Trieu Phong, Vinh Linh, Cam Lodistricts and Quang Tri and Gio Linh towns as well as the provincial Children’sCultural House have organized 45 swimming courses for nearly 1,200 children.
The courses, held fromJune 30 to August 30, also provide life skills to the children.
Nguyen Thi Phuong Lieu,Vice Secretary of Hai Lang district’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union saidthat Hai Lang is a low area with high number of drowning cases.
The district’s youthunion first launched swimming courses for children in 2015, which have becomean annual activity of the district in summer, she said, adding that 106 courseshave been opened so far, drawing 2,650 local children.
In 2018 alone, theunion has offered 34 free courses to 850 children in the locality.
Since early June 2018,the World Vision International in Vietnam have coordinated with seven communesin Hai Lang – Hai Duong, Hai Xuan, Hai Truong, Hai Thanh, Hai Thien, Hai Hoaand and Hai Quy – to organise 14 courses for 420 children aging from 12-18,during which the children are taught swimming skills and the process of givingfirst aids to victims of accidents.
According to Vice Director of the VietnamSports and Physical Training Administration Pham Van Tuan, drowning is theleading cause of death in children and adolescents in Vietnam, especially inthe summer and storm season.
He noted that an initial report showed that theratio of children who can swim in Vietnam remains under 30 percent.
A report by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids andSocial Affairs showed that about 2,000 children lost their lives to water inVietnam each year between 2015 and 2017.-VNA
VNA
