Better late than never? Long overdue focus on tackling suicide welcomed

FOR years, the high prevalence of people who die by suicide has been a concern. Despite this concern and some attempts at helping people, Guyana remains well-known for its high suicide rate. Over the past week, however, there has been much-needed conversation and interest in suicide prevention and I hope that this focus materialises into positive health gains.

The renewed focus on suicide, I believe, was prompted by two things. The first is, there have been public statements from government ministers on the revamping of deals about mental health. This includes targeting Guyana’s Criminal Law Offences Act Chapter 8:01 (97), which imposes jail time for persons who attempt suicide. The existing law labels attempted suicide a “misdemeanour” and the individual who attempts suicide is liable to two years in prison. Many agree that such punitive measures have no place in modern societies when there is a greater understanding that people who attempt suicide need help and support, not punishment.

Adding to the decriminalisation of suicide, there are also draft Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Bills. These bills, according to reports, are meant to ensure that the framing of mental health issues is much more sensitive than they currently are. And, both pieces of legislation are geared at ensuring that there are greater institutional provisions to facilitate necessary support services and the promotion of mental health.

The second prompt, I believe, is the engagement of stakeholders in tackling suicide and promoting mental health more broadly. The Guyana mental health and well-being conference and a forthcoming five-year study on the specific risk factors for suicide in Guyana have necessitated this increased (or at least, more visible) engagement.

Let me hasten to add: this isn’t to say that numerous people haven’t been advocating and lobbying for a greater focus on suicide prevention. Because certainly, many people have. It just so happens that the gathering of many stakeholders and the media coverage at the conference have drawn much attention to it (or maybe, it’s just me. Who knows?)

Why are these two prompts necessary?

In September, another Pepperpot columnist, Marissa Foster, asked: Have Guyanese become desensitised to the suicide epidemic in our country? She posited that there were still campaigns and agendas targeting suicide and underlying issues in communities, but the local efforts were simply not enough, given the enduring prevalence of people dying this way.

I agreed with her.

Guyana has been known as the suicide capital of the world and has only recently moved down to the country with the second-highest suicide rate in the world (not something you want to brag about). If our suicide rates continue to be as high as they are, then clearly, enough is not being done. And even if more than enough attempts are being made, those strategies are clearly not as effective as we want them to be.

Over the past week, I listened to foreign and local researchers speak about the prevalence of suicide in Guyana and the challenges of providing greater support to people who need it. A common theme from them all was the sore need for more targeted interventions- whether campaigns, support services, or the provision of adequate resources- to help the people who need it.

Interestingly, it was highlighted that more people of Indian descent and men have died by suicide. And I wondered, are there interventions targeting these specific groups of people? Or are our interventions more broad-based? There was also a high prevalence of suicide among Hindus and followers of the Pentecostal Christian denomination, and I ask- why is that? And what is being done?

Fortunately, those targeted interventions are- reportedly- some of the exact outcomes expected from the five-year study. With identifying risk factors for suicide specific to communities across Guyana, it is expected that recommendations can be made for targeted interventions.

This means that if there is an issue specific to a community or group of people, support that would specifically target that issue would be provided instead of a more broad-based or generalised intervention.

I believe it is also particularly crucial that our legislation is revamped because it provides the necessary architecture to ensure that requisite support services are provided. Targeted interventions must be facilitated by appropriate legislation.

And I think that there is enough attention being directed towards suicide prevention and the promotion of mental health right now. With this momentum, I believe that the government will make the necessary legislative changes and consider the recommendations floated.

If you would like to connect with me to discuss COVID-19, this column, or any of my previous works, feel free to email me at vish14ragobeer@gmail.com

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