Nepal Holds First National Consultation on Drowning Prevention

Photo: WHO

Kathmandu: Nepal has taken a major step toward addressing the often-overlooked issue of drowning, with the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) organizing the country’s first national consultation workshop on drowning prevention. The two-day event, held from August 18 to 19 in Lalitpur, was supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office and inaugurated in the presence of Minister of Health and Population Pradip Paudel.

According to WHO, the workshop brought together over 80 representatives from federal ministries, provincial and local governments, security agencies, NGOs, academia, UN agencies, and health directorates of all seven provinces. Officials from high-burden provinces including Lumbini, Madhesh, and Koshi were also present.

Expert presentations, plenary discussions, and group work sessions focused on the burden of drowning in Nepal, its risk factors, and prevention strategies, particularly at the local level. Participants reviewed WHO recommendations, identified context-specific interventions, and worked on drafting a roadmap for coordinated action.

The workshop concluded with a draft roadmap to strengthen institutional mechanisms, implementation sites, and clear roles and responsibilities. The draft will be further refined with WHO and other partners before being submitted to the MoHP for official endorsement and rollout at provincial and local levels.

Health experts at the event emphasized that this initiative marks a significant milestone in Nepal’s public health response, calling it a step forward in saving lives and reducing preventable deaths from drowning across the country.