WaterWorld India Champions WHO’s New PROTECT Strategy During World Drowning Prevention Day 2026 Campaign
WaterWorld India Champions WHO’s New PROTECT Strategy During World Drowning Prevention Day 2026 Campaign
Pune, Maharashtra | 28 July 2026
In observance of World Drowning Prevention Day (25 July 2026), WaterWorld India successfully organised a three-day public awareness and education campaign from 24–26 July 2026, reinforcing the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global call to reduce preventable drowning deaths through education, preparedness and community action.
The campaign was conducted across WaterWorld India’s three training centres in Pune—WaterWorld Aquatic Club (Kharadi), WaterWorld Swim School (Vadgaonsheri) and WaterWorld Training Centre (Ghorpadi)—bringing together over 150 children, parents, swimmers, educators and community members to learn practical water safety skills and drowning prevention measures.
This year’s global observance carried added significance following the WHO’s recent launch of its PROTECT Strategy, a technical package comprising seven evidence-based actions to help governments and communities reduce drowning worldwide. During the campaign, Mr. Vijay Kumar Sah, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WaterWorld India, introduced and publicly demonstrated the newly released 7-step PROTECT Strategy, explaining how each pillar can be applied by families, schools, aquatic facilities and local communities to make water environments safer.
Participants also received practical demonstrations on recognising water hazards, safe behaviour around swimming pools and open water, safe rescue principles without entering the water, emergency response during drowning incidents, floating and survival techniques, basic CPR awareness, and the importance of structured swimming and water safety education from an early age. Special emphasis was placed on parental supervision, child safety around water, and preparing communities for water-related emergencies.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Vijay Kumar Sah said:
“Drowning remains one of the world’s leading yet most preventable causes of accidental death. Every family should understand that swimming, floating, water survival skills and CPR are life skills-not optional activities. The WHO’s new PROTECT Strategy provides a clear roadmap for stakeholders and communities to work together. Through awareness, education and practical demonstrations, we can empower people with the knowledge and confidence needed to prevent drowning and save lives.”
The campaign strongly echoed this year’s WHO theme, “Unite to Turn the Tide,” encouraging collective responsibility among individuals, educational institutions, aquatic organisations, government agencies and communities. Participants were encouraged to become ambassadors for water safety by sharing the knowledge gained with their families and neighbourhoods.
WaterWorld India has been actively promoting drowning prevention, swimming education, lifesaving skills and CPR training for over two decades through community outreach programmes, professional aquatic education and internationally recognised certification courses. The organisation continues to support national and global initiatives aimed at reducing drowning through evidence-based education and practical skill development. The successful campaign reaffirmed WaterWorld India’s commitment to creating safer communities by transforming awareness into action and ensuring that more people understand that drowning is preventable when communities are educated, prepared and united.
