A progress review meeting on the formulation of a comprehensive National Mechanism for Drowning Prevention and Lifesaving was held at the Parliament Complex, with discussions focusing on strengthening inter-agency collaboration to establish a coordinated national framework to reduce water-related fatalities and improve public safety across Sri Lanka.

The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Madhura Senevirathna and Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs Dinindu Saman Hennayake.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy Minister Jayasekara reviewed the progress made since the previous high-level discussion and stressed that the rising number of drowning deaths is a significant public safety and national security concern. He underscored the need for a structured, coordinated and sustainable national mechanism to address the issue effectively, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Deputy Minister Senevirathna proposed incorporating water safety education into the national school curriculum to build awareness and preparedness among students from an early age. He said introducing water safety as part of the education system would help foster a culture of prevention and responsible behaviour around inland water bodies and coastal areas.

Deputy Minister Hennayake highlighted the role of youth in supporting national drowning prevention efforts and proposed establishing structured training programmes to develop a volunteer network capable of assisting professional lifesaving services.

Senior government officials, security sector representatives and subject-matter experts also participated in the meeting, sharing recommendations on their respective roles in the proposed national mechanism.

Following the discussions, it was decided to establish a multi-stakeholder committee headed by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, with representation from all relevant stakeholder institutions. The committee has been tasked with formulating a practical, effective and sustainable National Mechanism for Drowning Prevention and Lifesaving for implementation at the national level.

Among those present were the Chiefs of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force; the Director General of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard; the Director General of the Institute of National Security Studies; the Director General of the Civil Security Department; senior officials from the Ministries of Defence, Health, Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, and Tourism; and representatives of the Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka Police and the Sri Lanka Life Saving Association.