An estimated 30, 000 children die from various injuries every year, according to a survey by Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB), on which the discussion was organised jointly by CIPRB, UNICEF Bangladesh, and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) at Spectra Convention Centre.

Drowning alone causes around 17,000 deaths every year, which is more than 50 percent, according to CIPRB's survey, conducted with financial and technical support from UNICEF Bangladesh for over a year in 2003.

The survey shows 46 deaths every day and two every hour in the country.

The survey was conducted among 1.71 lakh of households containing a population of 8.20 lakh in 24 upazillas of 12 districts across the country, said CIPRB's executive director of Dr. AKM Fazlur Rahman.

While 3, 500 children die from road accidents every year, two are doomed with permanent disability every hour on an average. Most children who die from road accidents are pedestrians and street urchins.

On the other hand, a total of 13, 000 children become permanently disabled annually because of injury, of which 3, 400 disabilities are caused by burns, the findings showed.

Other deaths totalling 2,700 are caused by animal bites mainly by dogs and snakes.

On an average three children die every hour from injuries.

"A Child Health Programme is never complete nor successful without prevention of child injuries," said the CIPRB executive director.

James Jennings, chief of education of UNICEF Bangladesh said: "All forms of child injuries are preventable by information, dissemination and awareness building."

Timely measures have to be taken according to situations and surroundings to prevent child injury, Jennings said.

Families and the country as a whole face enormous financial damage because of child injury, he added.

Considering the survey findings, the CIPRB will pilot a comprehensive child injury prevention programme called 'Prevention of Child Injuries through Social Intervention and Education' (PRECISE) to reduce the rate of child mortality and morbidity caused by drowning, burn, fall, accidental poisoning, cuts and suffocation.

A very important component of PRECISE is School Safety Programme through curriculum-based, non-formal safety education for students between classes I to VIII.

A total of 300 schools will be covered under the 'school safety intervention' and about 450 teachers will be trained in 'school safety curriculum' under the programme to be piloted in Raiganj Upazilla of Sirajganj, Manohordi Upazilla of Narsingdi and Sherpur Sadar Upazilla.

Trained teachers will teach child injury precaution, develop skills among the students as to how to save not only themselves but also any other injured child facing danger.

A group of experts are currently drafting texts for school safety programme for classes I to VIII for the CIPRB.

"The new contents on injury lessons will help update the existing text curriculum," said the chairman of National Curriculum and Textbook Board Dr. Gazi Md. Ahsanul Kabir.

PRECISE has three components -- home safety, school safety and community programmes.

ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan, state minister for education who was chief guest at the discussions said that the government would frame legislation to prevent child injuries.

"Parents' awareness and alertness and compliance with laws are crucial to prevent child injuries," he said.

Loss of lives apart from pain, suffering and long-term disability associated with injury are enormous, according to CIPRB survey findings.

Economically, only road accidents incur a financial loss of more than US $ 700 million each year in the country.

Prof. Dr. Khondaker Md. Shefyetullah, director, medical education and Health Manpower Development of DGHS, presided over the discussion.