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The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently raised the alarm on the rising cases of suicide across the world. According to the Director-General of the global health agency, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds. Although 38 countries have developed national suicide prevention strategies, the WHO is of the view that more countries need to develop policies that could prevent suicides.
Without doubt, suicide is a global problem that requires urgent attention. It is the second leading cause of death among the world youth population, aged between 15 and 29. Current statistics reveal that close to 800,000 people die by suicide each year while more than N16 million others try unsuccessfully to kill themselves.
It has also been established that 79 per cent of suicides occur in low and middle-income countries. While suicide incidents are three times higher among men than women in wealthy countries, both the men and women in poor countries commit or attempt suicide in equal proportions. The suicide scourge is no less pervasive in Nigeria as more and more Nigerians are daily taking their lives. While some Nigerians had jumped into the lagoon and died, others had taken poisonous substances to end their lives.
However, some of the suicide cases are unreported. Some families would not report such cases in the bid to avoid the stigma usually associated with suicide in some Nigerian cultures. There were not less than 10 recorded suicide cases in the country in May, this year. In the first six months of 2019, no fewer than 50 suicide incidents were reported.
The nation’s economic challenges have been cited by experts as factors that could easily trigger suicidal tendencies among the population. There is a large army of unemployed youths and adults. Several families are also passing through unimaginable financial difficulties. The frustrations might have led many Nigerians to indulge in hard drugs and other dangerous substances that can dispose them to suicidal thoughts. In spite of the efforts by the Federal Government to tackle these problems, many Nigerian youths are reportedly suffering from mental disorders, which may lead to suicides.
Earlier in the year, the Federal Ministry of Health disclosed that about 30 per cent of Nigerians suffered from mental disorders. Two years ago, the World Health Organisation reported that close to eight million persons in Nigeria suffered from depression.
The Federal and some state governments have carried out some sensitisation programmes and advocacy on suicide prevention. We urge the remaining states to do so. It is good that the government has banned some substances reportedly used for suicides. Unfortunately, government’s measures to curtail the menace have not achieved much. Some Nigerians believe that the government should do more to address the problem.
Many Nigerians believe that one of the ways to check the rising cases of suicide among young people is for the government to create more jobs for them. To create more jobs, the government should also diversify the economy and put measures in place to ensure the wellbeing of all Nigerians. The government must create the enabling environment that will encourage industrial and economic growth. All tiers of government must work together to create more jobs for the unemployed Nigerians.
We enjoin the government to set up facilities where those suffering from depression can get help. Nigeria should train more psychologists and psychiatrists to attend to the needs of those suffering from mental disorders. It is not encouraging that Nigeria has about 250 practising psychiatrists and about 60 million people with mental disorders.
These are some of the challenges that the government must tackle now to check the raging suicide scourge. There should be counselling centres in every local government area where citizens suffering from depression can get professional advice. Government must invest so much in the training of experts in mental health.
In addition, the government must institute policies that would engender hope, stimulate economic growth and create jobs and wealth. The government must come up with pragmatic measures to prevent suicides among Nigerians.
