One in every 100 deaths that occur globally is as a result of suicide, Mr Kwame George Osei, the Nkoranza South Municipal Coordinator of Mental Health has said.
“In every 40 seconds someone dies by suicide across the globe”, he told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Nkoranza in the Bono East Region, as Ghana joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD).
The WSDP, celebrated annually on September 10, is organised by the International Association for Suicide Prevention and endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and represents a global commitment to focus attention on suicide prevention.
This year’s event is celebrated on the theme “creating hope through action”and reflects the need for collective action to address this urgent public health issue.
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Mr Osei expressed concern about rising cases of attempted suicide in the municipality as they recorded 11 cases this year.
“Parasuiciders are likely to repeat within 10 years” he said, adding suicide prevention was possible and appealed to the public to support people with mental illnesses to access medication.
“Each and every suicide is devastating and has a profound impact on those around them. However, by awareness creation, stigma reduction and encourage well-informed action, we can reduce instances around the country”, Mr Osei stated.
