Alarming drowning trends uncovered in eastern Uganda — New Makerere study

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A new report by the Makerere University School of Public Health has revealed alarming drowning trends in Eastern Uganda, with 73 people dying annually in Serere and Soroti districts alone.

According to the study conducted between January 2022 and December 2024, Serere District records about 45 drowning deaths each year, while Soroti registers 28. Most of these fatalities occur in communities living near wetlands, swamps, and small lakes where residents engage in fishing, brick-making, and water collection. Children and youth form the largest proportion of victims.

Dr Fredrick Oporia, the Director of the Centre for Prevention of Trauma, Injury and Disability, notes that the high death toll in Serere and Soroti mirrors the national pattern of poor water-safety practices. He attributes the fatalities to low safety awareness, the absence of warning signs, and fishermen operating without life-saving equipment such as life jackets.

Serere District Police Commander SSP, John Rutaagira says the district has begun pushing for the mandatory registration of fishermen and boat owners to ease identification of casualties during emergencies.

Serere Acting District Health Officer Dr Daniel Ogwal has encouraged fishermen to make use of the district’s boat ambulance whenever they face water-related emergencies.

In Soroti, District Health Officer Dr Charles Okadhi says the report recommends installing safety infrastructure, enforcing life-jacket use, and strengthening community education in high-risk areas.

Serere LCV Vice Chairperson Ann Beatrice Abeja is calling for urgent interventions, including community sensitisation, training local rescue teams, and enforcing water-safety guidelines.

Soroti District Secretary for Finance, Samuel Eyag,u has advised the fishing community to prioritise safety equipment to reduce preventable deaths.

Nationally, drowning remains a major public-health burden. A recent analysis by Makerere University estimates that Uganda loses approximately 2,900 people to drowning every year, equivalent to about nine deaths per day. The national drowning death rate stands at 8.5 per 100,000 people, with fishing communities and lakeside districts among the hardest hit. Authorities say most deaths occur due to limited swimming skills, lack of life jackets, unsafe vessels, and poor enforcement of water-safety laws.