We are responsible for our children…

June 29, 2021

In 2020, 11 minors died from external causes in the Vitebsk region, and 9 have died in less than 6 months of the current year. The causes of death in 2021 were: road traffic accidents – 4 cases, self-harm with construction tools - 1 case, drowning – 3 cases, other - 1 case.

In 2020, 11 minors died from external causes in the Vitebsk region, and 9 have died in less than 6 months of the current year. The causes of death in 2021 were: road traffic accidents – 4 cases, self-harm with construction tools - 1 case, drowning – 3 cases, other - 1 case.

Behind the dry statistics lies an irreparable loss, grief and tears, broken destinies.

As a positive point, it is noted that through the joint efforts of the prevention entities of the Gluboksky district, parents, and other interested parties, it was possible to prevent child deaths from external causes in the region in 2020-2021. At the same time, the positive trend in this area should not lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of the activities of authorized entities in this direction, or the vigilance of parents and other interested parties regarding the behavior of minors.

In this regard, attention must be drawn to the existing problem of protecting minors from potentially dangerous objects (artificial reservoirs, abandoned buildings and industrial facilities, quarries and excavations). A check carried out by the district prosecutor's office this year indicates the presence of such objects in the region and the insufficient attention paid to their identification and elimination. At the same time, every year in the Republic of Belarus, a significant number of child deaths occur precisely near such places.

For example, on November 8, 2020, an 8-year-old child died in the city of Polotsk after falling into an uncovered storm drain.

Under similar circumstances, on January 10, 2021, a 10-year-old student died in the village of Svisloch, Minsk region, having drowned in an uncovered sewage well filled with water.

In this regard, I draw the attention of all responsible persons of the utility services of the district, heads of economic entities of the region to the need for constant measures to identify uncovered storm drains, sewage wells, and other potentially dangerous objects in the settlements of the Gluboksky district, and to take comprehensive measures to bring them into a safe condition for people. I draw the attention of parents and all other interested parties to the need for proper upbringing of children and supervision of their behavior, explaining to them the rules of conduct at home, on the street, especially near potentially dangerous objects.

Deputy Prosecutor

Gluboksky District Ya.I. Sosnovsky