Drowning top killer of Asian children

Drowning is a top killer of children in Asia, but the problem is often overlooked in poor countries plagued by deaths caused by speeding cars, suffocation and other accidents, according to a report released yesterday.

Nearly 2.5 million people were surveyed in Bangladesh, China, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam by UNICEF and the Alliance for Safe Children, a US-based aid group. The survey found injuries were the leading cause of death in children older than one year.

Drowning was the top cause of injury-related deaths in all countries, accounting for about half of all cases.