Kampala, Uganda — Uganda is drawing up a comprehensive national plan to dramatically reduce its alarming drowning rates, which claim more than 3,000 lives each year. The initiative aims to tackle what officials are calling a “silent public health crisis.”
Charles Ruzigye, Assistant Commissioner for Administration in the Ministry of Works and Transport, announced the plan’s development on Monday during a news conference in Kampala. The event, organised by Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) and the Ministry of Works and Transport, was part of an ongoing Drowning Prevention Week.
“Historically, drowning has been an ongoing problem in Uganda, yet it has been largely unrecognised as a big problem,” Mr Ruzigye said. Recent studies from Makerere University’s School of Public Health have brought these grim statistics to light, prompting a more coordinated government response. Uganda is aligning its efforts with a United Nations resolution and guidelines from the World Health Organization and the International Maritime Organization. “Uganda cannot be left behind,” Mr Ruzigye emphasised.
The Prime Minister’s Office has tasked the Ministry of Works and Transport with leading this critical, multi-sectoral initiative. The draft National Strategic Plan will serve as a vital roadmap, providing clear guidelines for the organisational framework of the national programme. It will outline specific measures to be implemented by government agencies and civil society organisations, including providing flotation devices, skill-building programmes, enhancing research and data collection, and strengthening enforcement. The plan also addresses resource mobilisation, guiding efforts to secure necessary financial resources for effective implementation.
“As a programme, we cannot do any implementation without any resources,” Mr Ruzigye explained. He confirmed the draft plan is nearing completion and will be officially launched soon.
Beyond the strategic plan, the government remains committed to ongoing interventions, including continued support for and development of National Water Safety Plans, along with the establishment of new regulations for water safety. Critical new initiatives also involve setting up search and rescue services across all Ugandan water bodies. Strengthening public awareness through media partnerships and other agencies remains a top priority.
“We need to significantly increase public awareness of this problem,” Mr Ruzigye stated. Recognising drowning as a pervasive issue affecting various sectors — from water transport to sports and recreational areas — he stressed the need for a “parabolic effort” as it “cannot be handled by one government agency or company.” There is also a renewed emphasis on data collection, management, storage and dissemination, as accurate data is crucial for continuously highlighting the problem’s magnitude and informing effective interventions.
A national study on drowning risk has also informed the establishment of rescue centres in Panyimur, Kaisotonya, and Lake Kyoga, with high-risk districts identified as Mayuge, Masaka, Serere, Kyotera, Soroti, and Rakai.
Dr. Fredrick Oporia (@Oporiah) insists that survival swimming could go a long way in protecting everyone from drowning.
“We need to raise awareness on water safety & survival swimming because many people are prone to drowning but the media can help us end this,” he said. pic.twitter.com/l2vArqoHjn
— Reach A Hand Uganda (@reachahand) July 21, 2025
Dr Frederick Oporia, the executive director of the Trauma and Injury Control Centre at Makerere University School of Public Health, described drowning as a silent public health crisis in Uganda.
“By the end of each day, at least eight people will have drowned,” he said. “That translates to 3,000 drowning deaths annually. Compared to Covid-19, HIV/Aids, and malaria, drowning has quietly emerged as one of the top three causes of death in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past three years,” he added.
Charles Onyum Okao, Media Coordinator for GHAI’s Drowning Prevention and Data for Health programmes in Uganda, emphasised the critical need for increased awareness and multi-sectoral collaboration. He noted that while Uganda records an estimated 3,000 annual drowning deaths, these statistics are “in their infancy” due to gaps in data collection, public misconceptions, and fears about reporting. He described drowning as a “silent killer,” emphasizing that unlike other crises, it involves no screaming, only a solitary struggle. Mr Okao urged partners to invest in life-saving actions such as swimming and rescue skills and affordable safety gear.
Join this fight against drowning, because we know that anyone can drown, but it is upon us to ensure that no one should! – @HumNabimanya #DrowningPreventionDay25 #OmanyiOkuwuga #TulwaniseOkubiira pic.twitter.com/CphdPKmvGG
— Reach A Hand Uganda (@reachahand) July 21, 2025
Humphrey Nabimanya, CEO of Reach a Hand Uganda, called for proactive measures and community-level collaboration to prevent drowning, which he also described as a “silent public health crisis” claiming lives, particularly among young people in water-dependent communities.
Mr Nabimanya emphasised the urgent need to “act ahead” to save future generations from drowning. He urged working with community-based organisations to unite people in taking drowning prevention seriously.
“Drowning is a silent public health crisis that continues to claim lives, particularly among children and youth living in our lakeside and hard-to-reach communities that depend on water as a primary source for livelihoods,” Mr Nabimanya said. He noted that every story of survival and loss underscores the importance of drowning prevention and the necessity of collective action. “These lives are more than just statistics, but they are real people, who had big dreams and so much potential,” Mr Nabimanya said.
Drowning Prevention Week, which began on Monday, features a series of activities across the country and will culminate in World Drowning Prevention Day on Friday. Mr Ruzigye urged all stakeholders to unite in preventing further tragedies on Uganda’s waters.
