NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGY

Copyright infringement not intended

In News

• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced a National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
• The main objective is to provide time-bound action plans and multi-sectoral collaborations to achieve a reduction in suicide mortality by 10% by 2030.

Details

• The strategy is in line with the WHO’s South East-Asia Region Strategy for suicide prevention.
• Key points of the strategy;
  • Establish an effective surveillance mechanism for suicide prevention within the next 3 years.
  • Establish psychiatric outpatient departments in all districts within the next 5 years to provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Programme.
  • Integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next 8 years
  • Develop guidelines for responsible media reporting of suicides, and restricting access to means of suicide.
  • Developing community resilience and societal support for suicide prevention.

Way Forward

• In India, more than one lakh lives are lost every year to suicide, and it is the top killer in the 15-29 years category.
  • In the past three years, the suicide rate has increased from 10.2 to 11.3 per 1, 00,000 population.
  • The most common reasons for suicide include family problems and illnesses, which account for 34% and 18% of all suicide-related deaths.
• Suicides impact all sections of society and thus require concerted and collaborative efforts from individuals and the community at large.

https://epaper.thehindu.com/Home/ShareArticle?OrgId=GRDAHU833.1&imageview=0

https://t.me/+hJqMV1O0se03Njk9