By Hassan Zaggi
For Nigeria to be able to halt the rising cases of suicide, the country needs to have a comprehensive multi-sectoral suicide prevention strategy, the World Health Organisation (WHO), has said.
The WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Kazadi Mulombo, stated this at the commemoration of the 2023
World Suicide Prevention Day with the theme: “Creating Hope Through Action,” in Abuja, on Monday.
Represented by the Deputy Country Representative, Alexander Chimbaru, he insisted that: “Suicides are preventable with timely, evidence-based and often low cost interventions. For that to be effective, a comprehensive multi-sectoral suicide prevention strategy is required for Nigeria.”
While noting that suicide continue to remain a serious public health concern with a profound impact on all, Dr. Mulombo, said: “Globally, it is estimated that over 700,000 people commit suicide annually of which 70 per cent of these cases occur in low and middle income countries.
“For every suicide, there are likely 20 other people making suicide attempt.
“Suicide is one of the leading cause of death among 15-29 years old. The case of suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and the entire country and it has a long lasting impact on the people left behind.”
He, however, applauded the Federal Government for initiating programmes and policies aimed at addressing mental health and reducing suicide.
“If you remember very well, in 2013 the World Health Assembly adopted the Mental Health Action Plan of 2013-2020, Nigeria actually ascribed to that plan.
“That plan aim to reduce suicide in countries by 10 per cent by 2020. I like to commend Nigeria, it has done very well by coming out with some incentives as well as strategies and documents which will help to reduce suicide.
“Among them, there is the national mental health programme in the Federal Ministry of Health, there is also the Mental Health Act which has been signed by the country. This is a good millage towards reducing suicide.”
He vowed that WHO will continue to support the country to implementing activities towards improving mental health and suicide prevention and control.
Speaking earlier, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, lamented that suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29 years, after road injury and that it also accounts for 10%-20% of deaths in women up to one year after giving birth of which 86% of the people affected are in low and middle-income countries.
He, however, warned that: “There is nothing good about suicide. For every suicide, the consequences extend beyond the loss of life to the families and communities affected by that loss. Many who have lost their loved ones to suicide never recovered from the devastating effect.”
Represented by a Director at the Ministry, Adebayo Peters, the Minister enumerated some of the steps taken to combat mental health and reduce suicide to include the presidential assent to the National Mental Health Act 2021 which replaced the archaic lunacy law of 1958.
“The finalization of the national suicide prevention strategic framework which will be able to guide all stakeholders on action to take in suicide prevention.
“Finalization of the review of the national mental health policy to address the emerging mental health needs of the population.
“The ongoing development of the implementation roadmap for the Mental Health Act.”
On his part, the National Coordinator, National Mental Health Program, Federal Ministry of Health, Tunde Ojo, said that theWorld Suicide Day celebration helps all stakeholders to expand the conversation on mental health. He, however, said that a lot of people commit suicide because an action was not taken.
He, therefore, said that, “as a government, we know that we have to have continuous engagement with stakeholders to be able to change the narrative about suicide prevention.
We know that as a country, we have taken some very important steps.”
