12 Sep 2022

Faced with  an alarming increase in suicide cases since 2020,  Kweneng District Health Management Team on Saturday embarked on a sensitisation campaign around Molepololole.

  The campaign was part of the annual commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day which falls on September 10.

It started with a motorcade around the village by the local Toyota Runx Club and included stopovers at popular spots to disseminate information and spread messages of hope.

  The move was prompted  by increasing  numbers of suicide-related cases registered at Scottish Livingstone Hospital.

 In an interview, the hospital’s psychiatrist nurse, Ms Silonde Matlhabaphiri revealed that in 2019,  the facility handled 17 cases of attempted and parasuicide.

The figure increased dramatically to 100 admissions in 2020 when COVID-19 hit Botswana while the following year, 124 cases were registered, she noted.

Ms Matlhabaphiri said between January and August,  77 cases of attempted suicide and parasuicide had already been registered.

“This upward trend is an indication of a crisis,” she said.

Ms Matlhabaphiri identified substance abuse, schizophrenia, depression, acute stress reaction and suicidal ideas as the leading causes of suicide. 

She said most patients attempted suicide as a result of debts, abuse caused by family malfunctions, divorce, loss and chronic illnesses.

For his part, Dr Tebogo Korononeo said suicide was a leading cause of death worldwide with an estimated 703 000 people taking their lives every year.

“Consequently, someone dies by suicide every 40 second and for each death, there were 20 more persons attempting suicide and many more had serious thoughts of suicide,” he said.

Dr Korononeo said millions of people suffered intense grief or were otherwise profoundly impacted by suicidal behaviour.

He said by raising awareness, reducing the stigma around suicide and encouraging well-informed action, instances of suicide around the world could be reduced.

In addition, by Creating Hope Through Action,  the triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day 2021-2023, ‘we can signal to people experiencing suicidal thoughts that there is hope and that we care and want to support them’, he said.

 Dr Korononeo said building on the theme and spreading the message over the three years, a world could be envisioned where suicides were not so prevalent.

   According to the December 2021 journal of public health, suicide is now considered a public health concern.

This comes in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic which saw  cases of attempted suicide and parasuicide incidents skyrocketing the world over.

Meanwhile Goo-Ntloedibe ward councillor, Mr Jeffrey Sibisibi has called for a stronger multi sectoral approach to suicide prevention and intervention.

 He decried to the continuing stigmatisation of mental illness which he blamed on ignorance about mental health issues.

The councillor advised Kweneng DHMT to come up with a mental health strategy that would then be rolled out to the. public.

Every individual should be taken on board with regard to all mental health-related developments, said Councillor Sibisibi.

 He said mental health issues were of great concern to the leadership as they desired to lead a healthy and peaceful nation. ends