By Svetlana Marshall
WORLD Suicide Prevention and Awareness Day was observed on Saturday with calls for a collective approach to reduce the high incidence of suicide in Guyana.Under the theme, “Connect, Communicate, Care,” the day’s observances, organised by the Public Health Ministry and the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), unfolded at the Giftland Mall, Liliendaal,Greater Georgetown.
According to 2012 statistics, Guyana, a developing country with less than a million people, is faced with a staggering suicide rate which has landed the country atop the list of countries with the highest suicide rate – a fact that PAHO/WHO Country Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, bemoaned.
Dr. Adu-Krow, in delivering brief remarks, pointed out that while Guyana accounts for 0.01 per cent of the world’s population, it contributes 0.03 per cent of the world’s suicides.
As such, he said all sectors of society must play their part to reduce the key risk factors. “All of us got to play a role…We can all play a role and we all can be each other’s keeper,” he posited.
In alluding to this year’s theme, Dr. Adu-Krow said: “It is important that the government shows that it cares, it is important that the donor community shows that it cares, it is important that development agencies show that they care, it is important that the United Nations (UN) agencies show that we care, it is important that faith-based organisations…show that they care.”
Meanwhile, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament and social activist, Vindhya Persaud, said while life is full of challenges, persons should not succumb to them.
“We all know that life has its fair share of challenges, everyone has bad days, everyone has days when things are up and down, and we all have our fair share of obstacles and impediments…but we should let people know…that they should not succumb to those bad days,” she posited.
Persaud also called for an end to the stigma against mental health, and further urged that Guyanese be more caring and supportive. “I think we need to move away from being a judgmental society and move towards being a society that cares,” she said.
Acting Director of the Mental Health Unit, Dr. Meena Rajkumar, while echoing similar sentiments, noted that the last suicide study completed on Guyana indicates that there were 667 reported cases for the period 2010-2012, resulting in an average of 200 deaths per year.
“We have found that suicide was most prevalent among the age group 20-49, which catered to 50% of the cases, 13-19 and 50 years of age which recorded a 16.6% simultaneously. During the same period, we recorded 344 cases of attempted suicide, again a very distressing figure,” Dr. Rajkumar pointed out.
The high the incidence of suicide she said, is of major concern to the Government, which “views the psychological and emotional well-being of its people as vital to their having the best quality of life.”
Cognizant of the situation, Dr. Rajkumar noted that the Public Health Ministry has been working to scale up its mental health services, and continues to work closely with PAHO.
Currently the National Suicide Prevention Programme is being implemented.
“The programme involves all sectors of society, highlighting community participation and role; with the support of PAHO/WHO’s Guyana Office, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the participation of NGOs, community leaders, health workers and specialists in mental health,” she explained, while calling for greater unity in the fight.
Senior Psychiatrist, Dr. Bhiro Harry and Psychologist, Dr. Caitlin Vieira were among those present in addition to For the Children’s Sake Foundation.
