Children are not always conscious of dangers in daily life and need training to protect themselves, said Luo Gangqiang, a Red Cross Society worker who is teaching such courses at middle schools in Wuhan.

World Health Day fell on Monday with the theme of creating a healthy environment for children.

Deaths caused by suffocation, drowning, traffic accidents, falls and poisoning account for about half of the total deaths of Chinese children, according to research by the Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

The World Health Organization lists unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, indoor air pollution, vector-borne diseases, chemical hazards and unintentional injuries as major environmental risks to children.

The Red Cross Society in Wuhan plans to start a regular course on a trial basis in ten schools to teach children how to avoid accidents and deal with unintentional injuries.

"I learned a lot in your class and I hope there will be more courses of this kind," said Huang Xiaoxin, a junior high school student, in a letter to Luo.

A textbook will be published on self protection and first aid for primary and middle school students at the end of April.

The country started a national project to guarantee the safety of teenagers and children on March 31 this year. Relevant lectures and training were carried out in more than 30 large and medium-sized cities.

The Ministry of Education also launched a TV series on the same topic on Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2003)