Statewide study on drowning cases in West Bengal soon

Kolkata: With drowning identified as one of the primary causes of deaths among children below five years of age in West Bengal, a philanthropic organisation is set to launch a statewide study to investigate the underlying causes and circumstances of such incidents, an official said.

The data will be used to design and implement targeted interventions to save lives, he said and added that Bloomberg Philanthropies will spearhead this study across West Bengal.

A recent study by NGO Child in Need Institute (CINI), in partnership with global agencies Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and The George Institute (TGI), had revealed that 58 per cent of drowning deaths in the Sundarbans region involve children under the age of five, with many incidents occurring in ponds within 50 metres of their homes.

An official of the organisation said it will collaborate with governments and partners worldwide to establish data-driven solutions and expand their impact to save more lives.

Sujoy Roy, national advocacy officer and lead drowning prevention programme at the Child in Need Institute (CINI), expressed enthusiasm about the initiative and said it aligned with their mission to create a child-friendly society.

He emphasised the potential of this investment in West Bengal to save numerous young lives and affirmed CINI's commitment to collaborating on this crucial effort.

In Bengal, CINI, in partnership with The George Institute for Global Health, is working alongside Bloomberg to raise awareness about drowning incidents.