Observing World Suicide Prevention Day
September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, an international day aimed at bringing hope to people who are suffering from suicidal thoughts.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2022 marks the second year since the global community joined hands in ‘Creating Hope through Action’ by observing World Suicide Prevention Day. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 703 000 people around the world take their own lives every year. The theme they decided on for three years, ‘Creating Hope through Action’, serves as a reminder that there is another alternative and aims to bring back hope.
WHO reports that World Suicide Prevention Day was established in 2003 in collaboration with the International Association for Suicide Prevention. “The 10th of September each year focuses attention on the issue, reduces stigma, and raises awareness among organisations, government, and the public, giving a singular message that suicide can be prevented.”
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“Each suicidal death is a public health concern and has a profound impact on those around the victim. By raising awareness, reducing the stigma around suicide, and encouraging well-informed action, we can reduce instances of suicide around the world,” stated WHO.
They further stated that taking action is the hope given to people who are suffering from suicidal thoughts. “It highlights the importance of setting suicide prevention as a priority public health agenda by countries, particularly those where access to mental health services and availability of evidence-based interventions are already low. By building on this theme and spreading this message over the three years, we can envision a world where suicides are not so prevalent.”
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In South Africa, we are ranked the lowest based on mental well-being – according to the Mental State of the World report, we score an MHQ of 46%. The Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal had stated that there are currently seven specialised psychiatric facilities in the province which are the: Umgeni, Fort Napier, Umzimkhulu, Madadeni, King Dinuzulu and Ekuhlengeni hospitals.
The department said the facilities offer a range of health services, ranging from general psychiatric care, forensic observation, patient care, psycho-geriatrics, neuro-psychiatry, child and adolescent mental health, psychotherapy, severe to profound intellectual disability and outpatient services.
WHO encouraged the public to play a role in supporting those who are experiencing a suicidal crisis or those bereaved by suicide, whether as a member of society, as a child, a parent, a friend, a colleague or as a person with lived experience.
“We can all encourage understanding about the issue, reach out to people who are struggling, and share our experiences. We can all create hope through action and be the light.”
