Phnom Penh, Oct 20 : Cambodia, supported by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and partners, on Monday launched two national campaigns to prevent child deaths from road crashes and drowning.

Road traffic injuries and drowning are two of the leading causes of child mortality in Cambodia, claiming the lives of thousands of children every year, said a press release, Xinhua News Agency reported.

In 2023 alone, road crashes killed 1,590 people -- an average of five deaths per day -- and injured more than 4,500, with children and young people paying the heaviest price, the press release said.

At the same time, Cambodia faces a critical public health challenge with childhood drowning, which claims the lives of 1,300 people annually.

"The country's drowning rate stands at 7.6 per 100,000 people, which is nearly double the regional average and more than twice the global rate," the press release said.

"Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 5-14 in Cambodia," it added.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Sokha said climate change is increasing these risks.

"More intense and frequent monsoon rainfall is causing severe flooding, which puts children at a higher risk of drowning, while extreme weather events increase the risk of road traffic injuries," he said at the launch event.

Will Parks, UNICEF representative to Cambodia, said every child has the right to grow up in a safe environment, but every day in Cambodia, children are killed or injured in ways people know how to prevent.

"Whether it's by wearing a helmet properly, slowing down near schools, teaching children to swim, or raising awareness about water safety, the solutions are clear. Together, we can and must stop these preventable tragedies by driving transformative change and placing child injury prevention at the very heart of community action, policy, and public awareness," he said.

/IANS