Ministry to mark World Suicide Prevention Day with ‘Free’ Concert

Sep 03, 2017 News

World Suicide Prevention Day will be observed on September 10 under the theme ‘Mental Health is we Business: Take a minute and Let’s Talk’.
To mark the day, the Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Public Health will be hosting a concert at the Seawall Bandstand starting from 16:00 hours [4pm] to 19:00 [7pm]. Admission to the event, according to information out of the Public Health Ministry, is free.
Various local artistes, including those associated with the radio series Merundoi, Jazz and Poetry on a Stool and Ruth English [PAHO Contestant Winner], among others, will be featured.
Using this year’s theme and the concert, the Mental Health Unit will be challenging the stigma attached to the disease of mental illnesses to help promote positive changes in the way Guyanese treat persons suffering with these disorders.
World Suicide Prevention Day observed annually on September 10 is intended to highlight the global commitment and action to prevent suicide around the world. The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) collaborates with the World Health Organization [WHO] and the World Federation for Mental Health [WFMH], to host World Suicide Prevention Day.
The World Health Organization estimates that over 800,000 people die by suicide each year – that’s one person every 40 seconds.
Although Guyana was once viewed as the suicide capital of the world, that state of affairs has since changed. According to a 2012 WHO report, Guyana had a recorded suicide rate of 44.2 per 100,000 people. Added to this, the report revealed that for every single female suicide, there were 3.2 male suicides.
According to Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation [PAHO/WHO] Resident Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, while in 2012 Guyana had that disturbing suicide rate, the figures have since suggested a massive decline of 20.6 per 100,000 people.
“I just want to say that a lot of things are happening and sometimes people dwell on the negatives all the time. Granted that we are not off that list but we are getting off that list,” the PAHO/WHO Representative had asserted recently.
As part of its efforts to help low and middle income countries, including Guyana, combat the scourge of suicide, WHO developed the Mental Health Gap Action Programme [mhGAP] which is aimed at scaling up services for people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders.
According to Director of the Ministry of Public Health Mental Health Unit, Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas, the public health sector has been making considerable strides to expand its mental health services. As part of the efforts in this regard is a plan to ensure that mental health services are offered on a national scale.
Those who are desirous of seeking further information about the Public Health Ministry’s Mental Health programme can do so by contacting its Mental Health Unit on telephone numbers: 226-1402 or 226-1405.

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Ministry to mark World Suicide Prevention Day with ‘Free’ Concert

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