DOHA: Children drowning in water can be avoided, through increasing awareness and adult supervision, said experts during a Kulluna safety campaign held at the first Qatar International Boat Show (QIBS) recently.
Drowning, especially amongst children is one of the most common causes of accidental death in Qatar. To tackle this issue, Kulluna launched a water safety campaign this year, highlighting the importance of maintaining adult supervision around children in order to curb such preventable deaths. According to statistics released by Kulluna, children have drowned not just in pools but also in water buckets and bathtubs.
Dr Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen, Director of the Hamad International Training Centre (HITC) of HMC said, “A child can drown in less than two minutes in as little as 5cm of water in absolute silence. These accidents can be avoided, through increasing awareness and adult supervision. Safety and prevention are Kulluna’s founding pillars and we were delighted to participate in Qatar’s first International Boat Show and inform audiences about simple ways of being water safe.”
Kulluna’s stand at the Qatar International Boat Show also provided information on how to perform CPR in case of drowning, as the first few moments after the accident are the most crucial and chances of survival increase after quick resuscitation.
ConocoPhillips Qatar President, Gary Sykes stated, “We live in an area surrounded by water, giving many opportunities for exciting water activities, but also increasing the possibility of injuries and drowning. As founding sponsor of Kulluna campaign, we are pleased to be taking part in the Qatar International Boat Show and promote water safety and drowning prevention, a campaign that reflects our strategic pillar of Health and Safety at ConocoPhillips. The campaign touches on a very important issue with the number of people drowning in Qatar increasing in recent years. This is a startling fact that is not receiving the attention it deserves and this why Kulluna seized this opportunity to increase community awareness about water safety by sharing simple tips and tools that may save a life.”
The Peninsula
