Delegates attending the reception and working session

At the working session, delegates watched a video reporting on the results of the project "Supporting effective and sustainable interventions for child drowning prevention and control in Dong Thap" for the 2019 - 2025 period. Through implementation, many models of safe swimming instruction and water safety skills education for students have been widely deployed, contributing to raising community awareness and reducing the risk of child drowning accidents.

Ms. Kelly Larson - Director of the Injury Prevention Program, Bloomberg Philanthropies (USA), highly appreciated the attention of Dong Thap provincial leaders in implementing the child drowning prevention and control project

Ms. Kelly Lee Larson highly appreciated the attention of Dong Thap provincial leaders in implementing child protection programs; especially the close coordination among the health sector, education sector, and local authorities. She stated that Dong Thap is a locality with many effective approaches and can share its experience with other provinces and cities. She also emphasized that maintaining safe swimming programs, raising community awareness, and strengthening inter-sectoral coordination are important solutions to minimize drowning accidents, especially in the Mekong Delta region.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Huynh Minh Tuan expressed his appreciation for the contributions of the Ministry of Health and international organizations

Speaking at the working session, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Huynh Minh Tuan stated that the province will continue to drastically implement action programs as directed by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training in child drowning prevention and control. The province determined that it needs to build a synchronized coordination mechanism among departments and agencies, with the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Health playing a core role, to ensure that new policies are implemented effectively and in line with reality.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Huynh Minh Tuan presented a Certificate of Merit to the CTFK Organization

One of the key tasks set by the province is to implement a swimming instruction program for students, with the goal of including swimming pools in 100% of newly built general schools. For existing schools facing land fund difficulties, the province will flexibly direct investment, renovation, or shared use of facilities among schools, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to learn to swim and are equipped with water safety skills right at school.

In addition, the province will strengthen communication, mobilize the participation of families and society; review high-risk areas for drowning accidents to implement appropriate warning and prevention measures.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Huynh Minh Tuan presented a Letter of Thanks to Ms. Kelly Lee Larson to acknowledge the active support of Bloomberg Philanthropies for safe swimming programs for children

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized that this is an important task requiring the synchronized participation of all levels and sectors to protect children's safety; at the same time, he affirmed that the province will continue to coordinate closely and effectively implement child drowning prevention and control programs, considering this an important responsibility for the safe and sustainable development of the younger generation in the province.

The delegation took a souvenir photo

On this occasion, the Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee awarded Certificates of Merit to the CTFK Organization and Ms. Doan Thi Thu Huyen - Country Director of the CTFK Organization (the representative in Viet Nam) for their significant contributions to supporting the implementation of child drowning prevention and control in the province; at the same time,presented a letter of thanks to Ms. Kelly Lee Larson to acknowledge the active support of the Bloomberg Philanthropies for children's safe swimming programs.

Written by Phuong Thanh

Translated by Van Le Nguyen