Ghana is set to launch a national lifeguarding programme on Tuesday, April 14, as part of a coordinated effort to tackle drowning, which kills an estimated 1,400 people in the country every year.
The Lifeguarding Initiative for Drowning Prevention in Ghana is a collaboration between the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU), and the National Coordination Board for Drowning Prevention, with financial backing from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Interior Minister, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, will join stakeholders for the formal launch under the theme “Drowning Prevention as a Public Safety and National Security Priority: The Critical Role of Lifeguarding.”
Despite its scale, drowning remains one of Ghana’s most overlooked public health crises. Incidents occur across beaches, inland waterways, recreational swimming areas, and domestic settings, with children and adolescents among the most vulnerable. The fatal drowning rate in the Accra Metropolitan Area is more than twice the national average, driven largely by beach swimming, which accounts for over 70 percent of coastal drowning deaths.
Research from the initiative’s first phase, which began in 2021 and focused on training Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) personnel in water rescue, confirmed that over 1,360 drowning deaths occur annually in Ghana, predominantly near beaches, pools, and wells.
The programme distinguishes itself through a prevention-first approach, combining trained lifeguard personnel, designated safer swimming zones, public engagement, and coordinated emergency response across institutions. Pilot lifeguard training sessions have already been conducted in high-risk coastal districts within the Greater Accra Region, equipping trainees in water rescue, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, risk assessment, and standardised incident reporting.
The initiative is being implemented in close partnership with the La Dade Kotopon, Korle Klottey, and Krowor Municipal Assemblies, and draws on the operational roles of the National Ambulance Service (NAS), the Ghana Navy, the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Ghana Police Service, and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
Professor Emmanuel Nakua, local Principal Investigator of the initiative and senior academic at the KNUST School of Public Health, said the programme will focus on deploying professional lifeguards at high-risk beaches, strengthening emergency response coordination, enhancing enforcement of water safety regulations, and scaling up nationwide public education.
Ghanaian football legend Asamoah Gyan has also lent his public voice to the campaign. “Every life matters. No family should have to go through the pain of losing a loved one to something that can be prevented. This lifeguard intervention is not just important, it is necessary. It will save lives,” he said.
Ahead of Tuesday’s launch, Professor Abdulgafoor Bachani, global Principal Investigator and Director of JH-IIRU, is scheduled to appear on a televised public engagement on Monday, April 13, to raise awareness and outline practical water safety measures. The initiative aligns with World Drowning Prevention Day, observed annually on July 25, and positions Ghana as a contributor to international efforts to reduce preventable water-related deaths.
