Promoting Water Safety: Doctors Urge Caution Around Water

Malta Association of Public Health Medicine in conjunction with Maltese Paediatric Association

17th July 2025

As summer brings increased recreational activity at beaches, pools, and around boats settings, the Malta Association of Public Health Medicine in conjunction with the Maltese Paediatric Association is urging the public to exercise extreme caution when in or near the sea or pools.

Drowning is a preventable cause of injury and death that can affect people of all ages. While children are often the focus of concern, adults are also at risk, particularly in open water, unfamiliar environments, or when safety measures are not followed. Everyone is reminded that water safety is essential, regardless of age or swimming ability.

To help prevent drowning incidents, the public is encouraged to take proactive safety  measures. These include recognising  one’s personal swimming limitations, entirely avoiding alcohol when swimming or supervising children, using life jackets where appropriate, never swimming alone, and paying close attention to warning signs and sea conditions.

Children require particular attention due to their vulnerability. Constant supervision is critical, even around small amounts of water such as bathtubs, paddling pools, or buckets, which can also pose a serious risk.

Follow these key water safety tips to stay safe this summer:

1. Don’t overestimate your swimming ability. If you cannot swim or are not confident in the water, let others know and avoid taking unnecessary risks that can put yourself and others in danger.

2. Never swim alone. Regardless of how confident you are, always swim with someone else present. Even strong swimmers can get into trouble due to leg cramps, sudden fatigue or unexpected medical issues.

3. Avoid alcohol and substances of abuse. Do not drink alcohol or make use of illicit substances before or during swimming, or when supervising children near water.

4. Pay attention to local warnings. Observe flags, signs and advice from lifeguards or local authorities.

5. Use life jackets and appropriate flotation devices. Children and weaker swimmers should wear properly fitted life jackets, especially around open water and when on boats. Young children may use flotation devices, but these are not a substitute for supervision.

6. Ensure rescue equipment is close by. Always keep rescue devices such as a lifebuoy or reach pole near pools and on boats.

7. Learn CPR and basic first aid. These life-saving skills will enable you to provide immediate assistance, giving the person the best possible chance of survival until professional help arrives. Emergency services should be contacted as early as possible on emergency number 112.

8. Always supervise children near water. Remain within arm’s reach and give them your full attention. Drowning can happen in just seconds and in as little as a few centimetres of water. It is suggested that an identified adult is a designated watcher to supervise a child or children around water.

9. Avoid distractions. Do not use mobile phones or other devices and distractions such as reading while supervising children.

10. Fence off home pools. Ensure that private pools are safely enclosed to prevent unsupervised access by young children.

11. Teach children how to swim from a young age. Enrolling children in age-appropriate swimming lessons can help build essential water safety skills.

12. Teach children about water safety. Encourage safe habits, including staying away from drains or suction fittings in pools. Hair, limbs or clothing can get caught, creating a drowning risk.

13. Be mindful of health conditions. Children or adults with medical conditions such as epilepsy or heart problems may be at higher risk of drowning and require closer supervision near water.

14. Be alert for signs of delayed symptoms. Seek medical advice if someone experiences coughing, breathing difficulty or extreme tiredness after swimming.

Parents and caregivers are also reminded of the potential for delayed symptoms following water inhalation, sometimes referred to as “dry drowning.” Although rare, this condition can occur when small amounts of water are inhaled, leading to breathing difficulties or lung complications several hours after swimming. Symptoms such as persistent coughing, unusual tiredness, or difficulty breathing after a child has inhaled water or been at risk of drowning should be treated seriously, and immediate medical advice should be sought.

The Malta Association of Public Health Medicine and the Maltese Paediatric Association encourage all individuals, families, and caregivers to stay informed and take simple but essential precautions to prevent drowning. These efforts can save lives and ensure that everyone enjoys a safe and healthy summer.

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STQARRIJA GĦALL-ISTAMPA

L-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tas-Saħħa Pubblika flimkien mal-Assoċjazzjoni Pedjatrika Maltija 

17 ta’ Lulju 2025

Nippromwovu s-Sikurezza madwar l-Ilma: It-Tobba Jħeġġu Kawtela Madwar l-Ilma

Hekk kif is-sajf iġib miegħu żieda fl-attività rikreattiva fil-bajjiet, fil-pixxini, u madwar id-dgħajjes, l-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tas-Saħħa Pubblika flimkien mal-Assoċjazzjoni Pedjatrika Maltija qed tħeġġeġ lill-pubbliku biex jeżerċita kawtela kbira meta jkun fil-baħar, fil-pixxini jew qribhom.

L-għarqa hija kawża prevenibbli ta’ korriment u mewt li tista’ taffettwa nies ta’ kull età. Filwaqt li t-tfal spiss ikunu ċ-ċentru ta’ tħassib, l-adulti wkoll ikunu f’riskju, partikolarment f’ilma miftuħ, f’ambjenti mhux familjari, jew meta l-miżuri ta’ sigurtà ma jiġux segwiti. Is-sikurezza madwar l-ilma hija essenzjali, irrispettivament mill-età jew mill-abbiltà fl-għawm.

Biex jgħinu fil-prevenzjoni ta’ inċidenti ta’ għarqa, il-pubbliku huwa mħeġġeġ jieħu miżuri proattivi. Dawn jinkludu r-rikonoxximent tal-limitazzjonijiet personali tal-għawm, l-evitar tal-alkoħol meta tgħum jew tissorvelja t-tfal, l-użu ta’ ġgieget tas-salvataġġ fejn xieraq, qatt ma tgħum waħdek, u li tingħata attenzjoni mill-qrib lis-sinjali ta’ twissija u l-kundizzjonijiet tal-baħar.

It-tfal jeħtieġu attenzjoni partikolari minħabba l-vulnerabbiltà tagħhom. Is-superviżjoni kostanti hija kritika, anke madwar ammonti żgħar ta’ ilma bħal banjijiet, pixxini żgħar, jew bramel, li jistgħu joħolqu riskju serju.

Segwi dawn il-pariri dwar is-sikurezza madwar ilma biex tibqa’ sigur dan is-sajf:

1. Tisstimax iż-żejjed il-ħila tiegħek fl-għawm. Jekk ma tistax tgħum jew m’intix kunfidenti fl-ilma, għarraf lil ħaddieħor u evita li tieħu riskji bla bżonn li jistgħu jpoġġu lilek innifsek u lil ħaddieħor fil-periklu.

2. Qatt m’għandek tgħum waħdek. Irrispettivament minn kemm int kunfidenti, important li dejjem tgħum ma’ xi ħadd ieħor preżenti. Anke għawwiema b’saħħithom jistgħu jsibu ruħhom f’diffikultà minħabba bugħawwieġ, għeja f’daqqa jew problemi mediċi mhux mistennija.

3. Evita l-alkoħol u sustanzi ta’ abbuż. Tixrobx alkoħol jew tużax sustanzi illeċiti qabel jew waqt l-għawm, jew meta tissorvelja t-tfal ħdejn l-ilma.

4. Oqgħod attent għat-twissijiet lokali. Osserva l-bnadar, is-sinjali u l-pariri mingħand il-lifeguards jew l-awtoritajiet lokali.

5. Uża ġgieget tas-salvataġġ u apparati xierqa għall-flotazzjoni. It-tfal u l-għawwiema aktar dgħajfa għandhom jilbsu ġgieget tas-salvataġġ li jkunu tajbin sew, speċjalment madwar l-ilma miftuħ u meta jkunu fuq id-dgħajjes. It-tfal żgħar jistgħu jużaw apparati għall-flotazzjoni, iżda dawn mhumiex sostitut għas-superviżjoni.

6. Żomm tagħmir ta’ salvataġġ fil-qrib. Dejjem żomm apparati ta’ salvataġġ bħal lifebuoy jew reach pole ħdejn il-pixxini u fuq id-dgħajjes.

7. Tgħallem CPR u l-ewwel għajnuna bażika. Dawn il-ħiliet li jsalvaw il-ħajjiet jippermettulek tipprovdi assistenza immedjata u tagħti lill-persuna l-aħjar ċans possibbli ta’ għajxien sakemm tasal l-għajnuna professjonali. Is-servizzi tal-Emerġenza għandhom jiġu kkuntattjati mil-aktar fis possibli fuq in-numru 112.

8. Dejjem issorvelja lit-tfal ħdejn l-ilma. Ibqa’ dejjem fejn jistgħu jilħquhom u agħtihom l-attenzjoni sħiħa tiegħek. L-għarqa tista’ sseħħ f’sekondi biss u f’ftit ċentimetri ta’ ilma. Huwa ssuġġerit li adult identifikat ikun għassies magħżul biex jissorvelja tifel jew tfal madwar l-ilma.

9. Evita distrazzjonijiet. Tużax mowbajls jew apparati u distrazzjonijiet oħra bħall-qari waqt li tissorvelja lit-tfal.

10. Għamel ċint madwar l-pixxini tad-dar. Kun żgur li l-pixxini privati jkunu magħluqin b’mod sigur biex jipprevjenu aċċess mhux sorveljat minn tfal żgħar.

11. Għallem lit-tfal kif jgħumu minn età żgħira. Ir-reġistrazzjoni tat-tfal f’lezzjonijiet tal-għawm xierqa għall-età tagħhom tista’ tgħin biex tibni ħiliet essenzjali ta’ sikurezza fl-ilma.

12. Għallem lit-tfal dwar is-sikurezza fl-ilma. Inkoraġġixxi drawwiet sikuri, inkluż li tibqa’ ‘l bogħod mid-drejns jew mill-fittings tal-ġbid fil-pixxini. Ix-xagħar, ir-riġlejn jew il-ħwejjeġ jistgħu jinqabdu, u joħolqu riskju ta’ għarqa.

13. Oqgħod attent għall-kundizzjonijiet tas-saħħa. Tfal jew adulti b’kundizzjonijiet mediċi bħall-epilessija jew problemi tal-qalb jistgħu jkunu f’riskju ogħla ta’ għarqa u jeħtieġu superviżjoni aktar mill-qrib ħdejn l-ilma.

14. Oqgħod attent għal sinjali ta’ sintomi ttardjati Fittex parir mediku jekk xi ħadd jesperjenza sogħla, diffikultà biex jieħu n-nifs jew għeja estrema wara l-għawm.

Il-ġenituri u dawk li jieħdu ħsieb il-tfal huma mfakkra dwar is-sintomi ta’ għarqa ttardjata, xi kultant imsejħa “għarqa niexfa”. Filwaqt li huwa rari, dan jista’ jseħħ meta jiġu inalati ammonti żgħar ta’ ilma, u potenzjalment iwassal għal diffikultajiet fin-nifs jew kumplikazzjonijiet fil-pulmun diversi sigħat wara l-għawm. Sintomi bħal sogħla persistenti, għeja mhux tas-soltu jew diffikultà biex tieħu n-nifs wara li tifel jew tifla jieħdu n-nifs l-ilma jew kienu f’riskju ta’ għarqa għandhom jittieħdu bis-serjetà, u għandu jintalab parir mediku minnufih.

L-Assoċjazzjoni Maltija tas-Saħħa Pubblika u l-Assoċjazzjoni Pedjatrika Maltija jħeġġu lill-individwi, il-familji u dawk li jieħdu ħsiebhom biex jibqgħu infurmati u jieħdu prekawzjonijiet sempliċi iżda essenzjali biex jipprevjenu l-għarqa. Dawn l-isforzi jistgħu jsalvaw il-ħajjiet u jiżguraw li kulħadd igawdi sajf sikur u b’saħħtu.