Community-Based Drowning Prevention Initiatives in Western Visayas
CFI entered into a partnership contract with the WHO to reduce deaths due to drowning. The activity addressed the issue of the effectiveness of preventive community-based interventions. Initiatives for health promotion aimed to influence multisectoral action and significant behavioral results in the adoption of safety measures for drowning prevention. At the national level, the development of a national health promotion action framework and playbook on drowning prevention to direct national and community-based drowning prevention initiatives was enabled by WHO to support DOH efforts.
At the regional level, WHO supported the implementation of community-based drowning initiatives in Iloilo City and the municipalities of Batad and Dumangas in collaboration with the Department of Health Development in Western Visaya (CHD-6) and CFI. Local action plans for 2022–2024 were created with the involvement of communities and local officials.
Drowning prevention initiatives focused on protecting children and avoiding alcohol use (identified as a risk factor for drowning) among adults. The project trained 40 community volunteers on first aid and basic life support. The project also conducted lectures in school on drowning prevention benefiting 40 pupils and parents. IEC materials such as 2,000 hand fans distributed to the 3 project sites. The project also repaired 45 community dug-wells with 225 households as its beneficiaries and installed a 35-meter fence benefiting 100 families.
CFI entered into a partnership contract with the WHO to reduce deaths due to drowning. The activity addressed the issue of the effectiveness of preventive community-based interventions. Initiatives for health promotion aimed to influence multisectoral action and...