Cape Town - Stellenbosch University (SU) and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding bringing their relevant expertise together to respond to concerning levels of fatal drownings in the country.
The memorandum between the university’s Division of Emergency Medicine and NSRI was signed on July 8, ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day, observed on July 25.
In a statement, the head of SU’s Division of Emergency Medicine, Professor Sa’ad Lahri, said the collaboration bridged the gap between academic knowledge and practical rescue services.
“It enables us to develop more comprehensive drowning prevention strategies, enhance emergency medical education and improve our community outreach efforts,” Lahri said.
The partnership comes as a result of alarming statistics indicating an average of 1 500 drownings annually in South Africa.
Twenty-nine percent of these involved children under the age of 14.
The partnership will focus on research on drowning occurrence, prevention and treatment; education and practical training for health care students and practitioners on aquatic emergencies; and public awareness campaigns on water safety and drowning risks.
“By bringing together medical students, doctors, paramedics and prehospital professionals, we’re creating a holistic approach to drowning prevention and emergency care,” Lahri said.
The collaboration would also facilitate hands-on experience for students from NSRI rescuers, allowing them to gain practical skills and ascertain how to manage drowning incidents.
“We’re fostering a culture of water safety that permeates every level of our society. Through this partnership and our focus on interprofessional education, we’re cultivating the next generation of health care professionals who will approach drowning prevention with a collaborative, community-focused mindset.”
According to the City of Cape Town, 30 near-drownings, 14 drownings and 80 rescues were recorded along the coast in the 2023/24 season.
The City said all drownings had occurred outside designated bathing areas or during times when lifeguards were not on duty.
NSRI CEO Cleeve Robertson said the partnership provided an opportunity for the NSRI to hone its emergency care capacity guided by a top Emergency Medicine Division within a leading South African university.
“In a single incident of climate impact in KwaZulu-Natal we saw 400 more deaths than usual in a year.”
Robertson said 30% or more of drownings were that of children.
“All injury is preventable and we will work to evolve systems that reduce drownings. A major part of the challenge is creating the evidence on which interventions are based and a partnership with a research university will create that opportunity.”
Cape Argus