The Ghana Mental Health Authority has revealed that the country recorded a total of 594 cases as of June 2023, including 46 deaths.
This figure, the authority noted, mostly represented the youth, which implies that more youth in the country either attempted suicide, had suicide ideation, or committed suicide.
It emphasized that the world loses a life every 40 seconds, which translates to about 800,000 people every year, and over 75 percent of these suicide cases occur in low- and middle-income countries.
The authority said there has also been an increase in both reported frequencies of attempted suicide and the number of suicide deaths, adding that records by the authority show an increase of 777 cases in 2020 to 902 cases in 2021.
Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of suicide deaths, from 69 in 2020, 26 in 2021, 91 in 2022, and 46 in the first half of 2023.
This year`s suicide prevention day is being held on the theme “Creating Hope Through Action”, which serves as a powerful call to action and a reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and that through action, suicide can be prevented.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Gilbert Azeem Tiroog|Ghana
