World Health Organization, WHO, has estimated that annually, over seven hundred thousand people commit suicide across the globe, withseventy-seven percent of them occurring in low andmiddle-income countries.
WHO Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, who gave the estimate in Abuja, said suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among fifteen to twenty-nine-year-olds.
According to him, suicide will continue to remain a serious public health concern with a profound impact on all because for every suicide, there are likely twenty other people attempting suicide,and many more have serious thoughts of suicide.
He called on the citizenry to partner the Federal government in its commitment towards preventing suicide in the country, saying that withteam work, suicide is preventable.
Dr. Mulombo stated that every case of suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire country, and it has long-lasting effects on the people left behind, but can be prevented with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions.
He said for national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed to create hope through action, which he saidwill serve as a reminder that there is an alternative to suicide.
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