The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has revealed that over 1,360 lives are lost to drowning in Ghana each year, with most incidents occurring near beaches, swimming pools, rivers, and uncovered wells.
The alarming statistic was made public during a stakeholder engagement hosted by the GNFS on Friday, April 4, 2025, in collaboration with a five-member delegation from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The meeting marked the conclusion of the first phase of a national drowning prevention initiative, which started in 2021. The initial phase focused on training GNFS personnel in water rescue techniques.
According to research conducted during this phase, drowning remains a significant yet often overlooked public safety issue in the country, claiming over 1,360 Ghanaian lives annually.
Chief Fire Officer Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong described the statistics as troubling and stressed the urgent need for intensified intervention.
The next phase of the initiative is expected to focus on deploying trained lifeguards, implementing nationwide water safety education programs for the youth, and expanding GNFS’s public safety outreach.
It will be carried out in partnership with the Ghana Life Saving and Diving Association.
CFO Ntow Sarpong appealed for increased support to train more GNFS personnel in swimming and lifesaving skills to reduce drowning incidents and improve emergency response capacity.