DEEP DIVE: To end the silent epidemic of drowning, whose voice matters?
Podcast
Turning the tide on drowning
Where there’s water there’s risk
Drowning is one of the world’s biggest health challenges claiming around 300,000 lives each year. Over two-thirds of deaths occur in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region. As the climate changes, extreme weather events are on the rise and drowning accounts for three-quarters of all deaths in flood disasters.
Turning the tide on the drowning epidemic requires urgent action. But the right action requires accurate data – our comprehensive survey across vulnerable communities in coastal wetland regions of India has revealed that the burden is three times higher than previous estimates, and its hitting the young hardest.
“If we trained 17 years ago, then I could have saved my own child.By: MangalaMother who lost her child through drowning
Read Mangala's story
The drowning trap: children and vulnerable communities
Drowning is sometimes referred to as a silent epidemic - unseen, unheard and unaccounte
Areas of our research
At The George Institute, our areas of research address some of the world’s biggest health challenges, focusing on areas like women’s health, planetary health, and food policy. Each program is designed to tackle specific health concerns through targeted research initiatives that aim to improve prevention, detection, and care. By focusing on these key areas, we work to deliver practical solutions that enhance health outcomes globally.
Brain healthAdvancing research to prevent, detect, and manage brain-related diseases, improving care and quality of life for people globally.
Learn more
CancerEnsuring everyone globally has the opportunity to fight cancer by actively working to remove barriers and create sustainable solutions.
Learn more
Cardiovascular healthTargeting the primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking.
Learn more
Critical careResearch focused on every aspect of critical illness manag
New resources for breathlessness
News
From evidence to impact: Professor Jagnoor Jagnoor on preventing childhood drowning
News / Media mentions
Dr Shane Galgey
Profile
Dr. Shane Galgey MB BCh BAO NUI MRCP MRCS is an Irish trained physician in Gastroenterology, Hepatology, General Internal Medicine, with subspecialty training in HDU and Emergency Medicine.
He is currently works in Academic Project Operations in the divisions of Critical Care and Respiratory Medicine as a Project Manager/CRA. He also works as a Medical Monitor and provides Safety and Medical Advisory for Academic Project Operations Trials in TGI.
He is a keen researcher across TGI’s many therapeutic areas. He has an interest in Health Systems Research, Thought Leadership, Process Implementation Improvement, and Social Entrepreneurship. He recently has contributed to the Institute’s response to COVID-19 and is the Lead Investigator in a report exploring how to optimise clinical trials in the face of change to achieve maximum outputs.
Shane also holds a Conjoint Lecturer Position at UNSW School of Medicine.
Management of extreme heat events in LMIC and the exclusion of women from the discussion
News / Media release
Impact stories
We strive to make a meaningful impact with everything we do
It’s not just our research - it’s how we approach it and turn it into action that makes a real difference. Our unique approach ensures that evidence creates real-world impact, with a strong focus on advocacy.
Collaboration is key - our consistent, sustainable and meaningful engagement with consumers and communities ensures we focus our efforts where they are most needed.
Read our stories of impact and see how our work is making a difference to the health of people around the world.
Sravanthi a SMARThealth pregnancy patient with an ASHA health worker
Can a basic brain scan predict stroke outcomes?
News
Inika Sharma
Profile
Inika Sharma is a research assistant working at the Meta Research and Evidence Synthesis Unit. Inika has a background in Psychology, having received her MSc in Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology from King’s College London. Prior to that, she completed her undergraduate in Psychology (BA Hons) from the UC Berkeley. She has varied previous research experience, primarily in the fields of mental health and child development. Her research interests include effective and accessible interventions for mental illness that can be feasibly administered in LMIC (Low- and Middle-Income Country) settings. She has previously worked as a researcher at IIM Bangalore.
Strengthening global efforts to build a resilient healthcare workforce
News
Evidence2Policy 2025: Bridging research and policy to achieve progress on NCDs, gender equity, and UHC
Event