Ugandan Government Urges Swimming Lessons as Drowning Cases Surge

Amidst a disturbing rise in drowning-related deaths, the Ugandan government is calling on citizens, particularly those living in flood-prone urban areas like Kampala , to embrace swimming as a critical life-saving skill.

Speaking ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25, Dr Charles Luzige, Assistant Commissioner for Maritime Monitoring at the Ministry of Works and Transport, emphasized that while the government continues to address infrastructural challenges, personal responsibility must also come into play.

 “Government interventions to address flooding are underway, but individuals must also take responsibility. Swimming is not just a sport, it’s a survival skill, especially when every other safeguard fails,” he said.

Urban flooding remains a persistent issue in the capital city, with Clock Tower and Meat Packers identified as major flooding hotspots. Luzige confirmed that drainage systems in these areas are undergoing upgrades as part of long-term disaster mitigation efforts.

In a bid to strengthen emergency response capacity, the government is setting up a national network of search and rescue centres, centrally coordinated through a hub in Entebbe. Facilities have already been set aside at Panyimur, Kaisotonya, and Lake Kyoga, while vulnerable districts such as Masaka, Mayuge, Kyotera, Soroti, Rakai, and Serere have also been prioritized.

Luzige also encouraged Ugandans to stay informed through weather forecasts and actively participate in community rescue efforts when disasters strike.

The push for improved water safety comes amid alarming statistics about drowning in Uganda. According to Dr Frederick Oporia, Executive Director of the Trauma and Injury Control Centre at Makerere University School of Public Health, the scale of the problem has been vastly underestimated.

 “On average, eight people drown every day in Uganda — that’s roughly 3,000 deaths each year,” said Dr Oporia. “Over the past three years, drowning has ranked among the top three causes of death in Sub-Saharan Africa, alongside malaria and HIV/Aids.”

A 2021 survey by Makerere University revealed 3,500 drowning fatalities across 74 districts in just two and a half years, an average of 1,400 deaths annually.

With drowning now emerging as one of Uganda’s most pressing public health concerns, authorities are urging citizens to see swimming not as a leisure activity, but as a potentially life-saving necessity.

By Levin Kiprop.