A devastating incident has shaken the community of Jinja City after three-year-old Abdul Rajab drowned in a swimming pool at the popular Ambercourt Stabex Complex.
The nightmare began when Abdul Rajab’s family, traveling from Eldoret, Kenya, to visit his grandparents in Masaka City, in Central Uganda, was involved in a road accident between Iganga and Jinja at around 2 am.
Though shaken, they managed to tow their vehicle to Stabex Complex, seeking refuge and assistance, according to sources.
Apparently relieved to have escaped the accident unscathed, the family momentarily breathed a sigh of relief. However, fate had other plans.
As Abdul’s mother, Naziwa Shakira, attended to her children and tidied herself up, three-year-old Abdul Rajab wandered off unnoticed.
Minutes passed before Naziwa realized Abdul was missing. Frantic, she reported the incident to the Jinja Central Police Station (CPS). Police swiftly responded, directing Stabex management to review CCTV footage to trace Abdul’s movements.
The review revealed the grim truth that Abdul had in deed accessed the swimming pool area and drowned.
Police retrieved his lifeless body and took it to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for post-mortem examination.
This incident at the complex, which includes a fuel refueling station, supermarket, bakery, restaurant, and amusement park or children’s play center has raised concerns about safety protocols in public swimming pools.
The incident was registered under SD 03/11/11/24.
This tragic incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the lack of safety measures in public swimming pools.
Many are questioning how a three-year-old could access the pool area unnoticed.
When contacted, Ole Setek, the Finance Manager at Stabex Complex, declined to comment, stating, “…we are a corporate entity and do not engage with the media on internal matters so no comment…”
Even the company lawyer identified only as Gilbert said he was out of the country and does not have any information to the incident in question.
The management of Stabex Complex’s response to this incident has also raised questions about corporate accountability and transparency.
The Finance Manager’s refusal to comment, citing their corporate status, is concerning and highlights the need for establishments to prioritize public safety and accountability.
However, being a private corporate entity does not entirely exclude one from media scrutiny because members of the public who are customers must know some of the things that have implications.
The community members are now demanding answers and calls for improved safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
When questioned about the incident, police officials offered lukewarm explanations.
SP James Mubi, the Kiira Regional police spokesperson, has been unusually tight-lipped about the tragic incident which has also been kept under carpet.
This is surprising, given his history of SP Mubi being media-friendly and forthcoming with information.
In the past, SP Mubi has been open about various incidents, such as the arrest of notorious panga-wielding thugs terrorizing the Eastern region and the detention of security guards involved in a fatal shooting in Buwenge Town Council.
He had also spoken out about conmen impersonating police officers ³ and the capture of notorious panga wielding men.
This incident highlights the importance of water safety, especially for young children.
According to pool accident statistics, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children and adults.
According to the Kiira Regional Fire and Rescue Services chief SP Mansour Isabirye, this is the first ever incident report since the year began
What You Need To Know:
Drowning in swimming pools is a significant concern, especially among children.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drowning is the third leading cause of u unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 9% of all injury-related deaths.
Common factors contributing to drowning incidents include lack of swimming ability and knowledge, lack of supervision by parents or guardians who are often distracted or unaware of the child’s whereabouts, alcohol use and children or adults with autism or seizure disorders.
To prevent such tragedies, experts say it’s crucial for swimming pools to have adequate safety measures in place, such as fencing around pools to prevent unauthorized access, trained lifeguards/attendants on duty and swim lessons for children.
It’s also important for the pool area to always be secured with a padlock when not in use and to have emergency response plans in place.
Data available indicates that children aged 0-4 years are at the highest risk of drowning, followed by children aged 5-14 years, and that males are twice likely to drown as females.
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The WHO emphasizes the importance of developing national water safety strategies and implementing effective drowning prevention programs.
They also recommend setting and enforcing safe boating, shipping, and ferry regulations to improve safety on the water.
In Uganda, drowning in swimming pools is a big concern, particularly among children.
While exact statistics are scarce, a 2018 study published in the Ugandan Journal of Public Health found that drowning in swimming pools was the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths among children under 15 years.
The same study reported 42 pool drowning cases in Kampala and surrounding areas over a 2-year period, with 71% of victims being children under 10 years.
A 2020 report by the Uganda Police Force’s Fire and Rescue Services noted 27 swimming pool drowning incidents countrywide, resulting in 15 deaths.
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