By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: Drowning in swimming pools has been identified as a leading cause of death among children in Qatar and majority has occurred due to lack of adult supervision as well as fencing around swimming pools.
In this backdrop, a senior health official has reiterated the need for a law that specifies safety standards for swimming pools for private and commercial purposes.
Qatar does not have any rules and regulations for swimming pools.
“We are calling authorities, government and the private sector to join us to make some legislation on the use of water, particular in swimming pools,” Dr Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen, Director, Hamad International Training Centre, told this daily yesterday.
He said such a law should specify minimum safety standards for swimming pools.
“One should need to have a licence to build a pool, and it must be given based on certain type of quality. There should be minimum safety requirements, fencing should be made compulsory for pools, especially in private compounds and hotels and they should also have life guards,” said Dr Saifeldeen, also Head of the ‘Kulluna’ for Health and Safety Campaign.
According to HMC statistics, the number of child deaths from drowning is rising annually, 90 percent of cases involve children aged 10 or under, 70 percent of those are under four, majority of accidents occur in and around the home, while children have drowned in swimming pools, baths, fish tanks, buckets, on building sites and in the sea and 80 percent drown when no one is watching them.
Children under two have heads proportionately heavier than the rest of their body and can easily topple into water. A child can drown in less than two minutes in as little as 5 cubic metres of water in absolute silence.
“Our message is prevention. Every single drowning is preventable, there is no case of drowning that is not preventable. Direct supervision by parents is essential, it’s their responsibility, they should be able to see the child, be able to hear the child and be within reach to respond immediately if the child is in danger,” said Dr Saifeldeen.
“Proper fencing around swimming pools will prevent 70 percent of drowning cases,” he added.
The first few minutes following an accident in water are critical and a quick Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation could save lives.
Inexperienced or weak swimmers should wear life jackets or have flotation aid when in or near water. But life jackets are not a substitute for adult supervision.
“Children should wear flotation devices; they must choose the one in good quality and certified,” said Dr Saifeldeen.
The Peninsula
