On April 20th, Joyous Ampurire and her daughter, Witness Akansasira, drowned when a canoe capsized on Lake Bunyonyi. Their deaths were deeply personal to one family, but the questions they raise are national. What makes a journey on Uganda's waters safer? Who is responsible for reducing risk? And what must change before another family carries the same loss?
In Ghana, drowning poses a critical public safety and national security issue, requiring an urgent shift in policy priorities and resource allocation. For too long, drowning has been perceived as isolated accidents or personal tragedies rather than a systemic public health problem. It is an urgent yet overlooked public health crisis in Ghana, claiming an estimated 1,100 to 1,400 lives each year. This mortality rate is driven by legislative and funding gaps and inadequate enforcement of water safety regulations. To address these challenges, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator would like to partner with local partners in Ghana to work in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global PROTECT framework and national drowning prevention priorities to drive sustainable policy changes.
