Join us on Friday, August 8, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (EDT or Washington, DC time) for the webinar "The status of drowning prevention and control in Latin America and the Caribbean." The virtual event will bring together key stakeholders to present the main findings from the regional analysis on the status of drowning prevention, showcase successful drowning prevention initiatives from Brazil and Mexico, and disseminate practical tools developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to support countries in strengthening their drowning prevention and control efforts.
Objectives of the webinar
- Engage professionals and local authorities from relevant sectors and disciplines interested in drowning prevention, including, but not limited to: health, police, transport, Maritime safety, disaster risk reduction, education, tourism, environment, sustainable development, academia, and civil society organizations working on drowning prevention across the Region.
- Contribute to ongoing efforts to raise political and public awareness throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, fostering momentum to advance the commitments made in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 75/273 and World Health Assembly Resolution 76.18. These resolutions call on Member States to assess their national situations, implement multisectoral drowning-prevention programs, and request WHO and its Regional Offices to provide support in these efforts.
RECORDING
How to participate
- DAY: Friday, August 8, 2025
- TIME: 11:00 a.m. (Washington, DC time or EDT) [See the bottom of this page for times in other cities]
- LANGUAGES: English and Spanish with simultaneous interpretation in those languages
- REGISTRATION: https://paho-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pAy6G0DqTx-tFESozxqukQ#/registration
Agenda
11:00 – 11:05 a.m. Welcome and session introduction
- Recorded message from Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO
11:05 – 11:25 a.m. Status of drowning prevention and control in the Region of the Americas
- Ricardo Pérez-Núñez, Regional Advisor on Road Safety and Unintentional Injury Prevention, PAHO (Presentation)
11:25 – 11:45 a.m. Successful drowning prevention initiative - Brazil
- David Szpilman, Secretary General of the Brazilian Life Saving Society (SOBRASA) (Presentation)
11:45 – 12:05 p.m. Successful drowning prevention initiative - Mexico
- Jesús René Castillo Díaz, Director of Information and Evidence, Ministry of Health (Presentation)
12:05 – 12:25 p.m. Drowning prevention tools
- Caroline Lukaszyk, Technical Officer for Unintentional Injury Prevention, WHO (Presentation)
12:25 – 12:40 p.m. Accelerating action in drowning prevention in the Commonwealth
- Steve Beermn, Deputy President of the Royal Life Saving Society (Presentation)
Background
Drowning remains a significant public health issue in the Region of the Americas, despite being a preventable cause of death. In 2021, an estimated 17,000 drowning deaths were reported in the Region, primarily affecting children under the age of 5 and adults over the age of 70. For the first time, as part of the Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention 2024, detailed information was collected from countries in the Region of the Americas on policies, strategies, and legislation. The analysis of this information will be presented to provide an updated regional overview of the current situation of drowning prevention and control.
The results show that while most countries have legislation related to water transport safety and other regulatory measures, substantial differences persist in their coverage, enforcement, and content. The analysis also highlights key challenges in implementing targeted interventions and achieving effective multisectoral coordination. The report emphasizes the importance of engaging diverse stakeholders, including government, civil society, health, transport, education, and communities, to develop sustainable and impactful solutions.
Time in other cities
- 8:00 a.m. – Los Angeles, Vancouver.
- 9:00 a.m. – Belmopan, Guatemala City, Managua, Mexico City, San José (CR), San Salvador, Tegucigalpa.
- 10:00 a.m. – Bogotá, Panama City, Kingston, Lima, Quito.
- 11:00 a.m. – Bridgetown, Caracas, Georgetown, Havana, La Paz, Port of Spain, Port-au-Prince, Nassau, Ottawa, San Juan, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Washington D.C.
- 12:00 p.m. – Asunción, Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Montevideo, Paramaribo.
- 5:00 p.m. – Geneva, Madrid.
For other cities, please check the local time on this link.