Drowning in Cambodia

A Child Drowns in Cambodia Every 4 Hours

Drowning is the leading killer of children in Cambodia but is largely an unknown public health threat. WHO reports the drowning rate for all ages as 7.6 per 100,000 people¹, but a nationwide household survey uncovered a much deeper crisis: children aged 1–17 drown at a rate of 35.0 per 100,000². The data paints a tragic picture:

• 2,090 children die from drowning each year

• Six families, lose a child, every day

• Every 4 hours and 12 minutes, a child dies from drowning

• 50 children survive with lifelong disabilities each year

1. WHO (2021) Regional status report on drowning in the Western Pacific
2. TASC & UNICEF (2007) Cambodian Accident Injury Survey (CAIS)