15 Nepalis Commit Suicide Daily!

The World Health Organisation recently released PREVENTING SUICIDE : A GLOBAL IMPERATIVE and here’s the overview! Devastating figures!

“Every 40 seconds a person dies by suicide somewhere in the world. “Preventing suicide: a global imperative” is the first WHO report of its kind. It aims to increase awareness of the public health significance of suicide and suicide attempts, to make suicide prevention a higher priority on the global public health agenda, and to encourage and support countries to develop or strengthen comprehensive suicide prevention strategies in a multisectoral public health approach.

The report provides a global knowledge base on suicide and suicide attempts as well as actionable steps for countries based on their current resources and context to move forward in suicide prevention.”

Now if we focus on Nepal then head over to The Kathmandu Post link and read the write-up by Manish Gautam titled “15 Nepalis take own life every day”. Here’s some excerpts from the TKP article!

“According to the report titled ‘Preventing Suicide: a Global Imperative’, 5,572 people—2,468 female and 3,104 male—chose to die in Nepal in 2012. Suicide is highly prevalent among the young aged 15-29, while the rates increase in people older than 50.” – Manish Gautam (The Kathmandu Post)

Here’s what the health editor Sarah Boseley wrote for The Guardian:

“The WHO wants all countries to have a national suicide prevention strategy, which must include reducing access to the means of suicide. Also important are responsible reporting of suicides by the media to avoid the risk of inspiring copycat attempts, alcohol policies, care for people suffering from mental and substance use disorders, chronic pain and emotional distress and the training of health workers in assessing and managing suicidal behaviour.

Only 28 countries say they have a national suicide prevention strategy at the current time.”