Hidden burden: urgent need for a national integrated drowning registry in Türkiye

As a leading cause of injury-related harm, drowning prevention is a vital, yet under-resourced public health area. Central to efforts to prevent drowning are robust understandings of risk (and protective factors) and the ability to monitor the effectiveness of any prevention interventions. Despite significant drowning burden in Türkiye, data on drowning are unreliable and largely unavailable. In this special feature, we argue for the development of a national integrated drowning registry in Türkiye. Although some drowning data are captured at the national level in Türkiye, data are not made publicly available, limiting awareness of the problem both politically and among the public. Data are reported to a European repository but statistics are inconsistent with national estimates. Further limiting understanding of the circumstances of drowning, data are not currently available via request by individual International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. Compared with the minimal understanding of fatal drowning burden in Türkiye, understanding of non-fatal drowning is virtually non-existent. An integrated national registry is urgently needed in Türkiye to support robust understanding of the fatal and non-fatal drowning burden to support prevention efforts. Under national ministerial leadership, we propose a registry could use data from health institutions, judicial bodies, law enforcement agencies, the coast guard, lifeguard services and non-governmental organisations. Reliable and timely data will increase limited public awareness and serve as a tool for political engagement. Improved data are also a vital component underpinning the development of a national water safety plan, as recommended by the WHO.