Addressing suicide high on Health Ministry’s 2009 agenda

Addressing suicide high on Health Ministry’s 2009 agenda – Dr Ramsammy

Feb 01, 2009 News

The Ministry of Health plans to address the problem of suicide from various angles this year. These will include monitoring people’s accessibility to pesticides, and putting programmes in place to deal with depression.

Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

Based on a survey conducted from 2003 through 2007, the Health Ministry was able to deduce that 946 persons committed suicide, bringing the annual average of such deaths to 189.

The minister said that the number of suicides varied, with 201 being recorded in 2003; 186 in 2004; 171 in 2005; 202 in 2006; and 186 in 2007.

And, according to the minister, in the five-year period, 718 of the 946 cases represented male suicide cases. It has been established that the male cases amounted to about 150 per year, and the females, about 42.

The age group of suicide cases range between 15 and 44 years, which, according to the minister, is a relatively young group.

And while the figures suggest that the problem remained constant over the five-year period, the minister said, the ministry was able to realise that this situation was prevalent since in the 80s.

“Interestingly enough, the number of recorded suicides in 1988 was 148, but in 1988 there was significant under-reporting. We estimated approximately 30 per cent under-reporting occurred in 1988, and so we adjusted the number from the actual recorded cases of 1988 to what really happened. What came out is about 180 to 190, which means that, over a long period of time, we have had suicides at a particularly constant rate,” the minister asserted.

The cases, according to the minister, were detected primarily in Regions Six, Four, Three and Two. The vast majority of the cases occurred among persons of East Indian ancestry. Topping the list of tactics engaged to commit the criminal act of suicide was the ingestion of poisonous substances, which was followed closely by strangulation caused by hanging, the minister said.

He disclosed that, in many instances, the option of suicide is considered by persons who suffer from depression. As such, he said, the ministry has already developed guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of depression. He added that primary health care workers are now in training in this regard.

“The 150 health workers will be trained between now and February 4. Training will be done for health workers in Regions Ten, Six, Five, Four, Three and Two, and then later on we will train workers from Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.”

Another pillar of the Health Ministry’s attack on suicide will be the substance abuse programme, since, according to the minister, about 40 per cent of the persons who commit suicide also showed evidence of alcohol use.

Thus the issue of alcohol abuse will be tackled, the minister said. He added that, before June, the ministry will ensure that there are substance abuse programmes in Regions Four, Six, Seven and Ten.

“We have already trained about 30 persons from the health sector and non-governmental organisations in providing rehabilitation services in substance abuse programmes…”

The ministry is also set to introduce a prevention of substance abuse programme, which is expected to help halt the problem of substance abuse. That programme, the minister said, will see persons being trained based on international standards, and they will be certified to operate programmes.

It is anticipated that religious organisations will fully embrace the venture, the minister said, in the quest of halting the national suicide problem. According to the minister, it is his desire that the incidence of suicide drops below 150 this year.