30 Mar 2023

Southern district has experienced a rise in the number of suicide and suicide attempts incidents in recent years, which is a cause for concern.

Speaking during suicide prevention and awareness event in Kanye on Wednesday, Kgosi Malope II’s wife Masetsibi Gaseitsiwe said there was need for concerted effort to combat suicide and suicide attempts.

She said the theme for the event: Creating Hope Through Action, was a reminder that there was an alternative to suicide and it also aimed to inspire confidence and light in people.

She said creating hope through action could signal to people experiencing suicidal thoughts that there was hope and that the community cared and wanted to support them.

Ms Gaseitsiwe said the theme suggested that actions, no matter how big, provided hope to those who were struggling and also highlighted the importance of setting suicide prevention as a priority public health agenda.

“By raising awareness, reducing the stigma around suicide and encouraging well-informed action, instances of suicide could be reduced,” she said.

She indicated that Kanye Adventist Hospital registered increased suicide attempts every year, noting that 32 young women and 16 young men aged 15 to 25 attempted suicide in the years 2021/22, while in 2022/23, 48 young women and 31 young men aged 15-35 attempted suicide.

She further highlighted that statistics from Kanye police indicated that in the year 2018, seven people committed suicide, in 2019 four people committed suicide, in the year 2020 eight died as a result of suicide As for the year 2021, five were lost to suicide while in 2022 fifteen people committed suicide.

Ms Gaseitsiwe said strategies to prevent suicide included, strengthening economic support, creating protective environments, improving access and delivery of suicide care, promoting healthy connections, teaching coping and problem-solving skills, identifying and supporting people at risk.

She urged people to reduce their vulnerability and risk of suicide by effectively availing themselves to be assisted.

Senior Chief Representative, Kgosi Kwelagobe Mookodi said suicide was a great concern, which usually happened when people were faced with life challenges.

He urged the police and other relevant authorities to act immediately when Batswana came to them for assistance as that could avoid suicides.

Kanye Adventist Hospital chief executive officer, Dr Brandon Tombs said since he joined the hospital in 2018, he realised that there was a challenge of suicide attempts, adding that in a week they registered one to two cases of suicide attempts.

“We therefore decided to host this event to try and arrest the situation,” he said.

He said the event had four objectives, being to raise awareness of suicide and mental health, to bring different institutions together to relay information about suicide, to pave way for people to fight suicide, while the last one was to encourage those who had suicide thoughts to seek for help.

“We are here as communities to stand with victims and support them,” said Dr Tombs.

Mental Health professional at Keitsholofetse Psyco- Social Support Centre for pregnant women, Ms Pontsho Kodisa said suicide and suicide attempts were directly linked to mental health.

She said life challenges pushed people to the limit adding that accepting that life was full of challenges could be one of the coping mechanisms.

“You should always tell yourself that you will defeat all life challenges you are faced with, if you tell yourself something it usually come to pass,” she said.

Ms Kodisa said it was vital for one to share challenges faced with someone as that would make them feel better.

“If you feel like crying, just do, this goes to everyone especially men, as that would bring your emotions down,” she said.

Another coping mechanism, she said was exercising with purpose, adding that when one exercised the body produced hormones that positively change the mood.

Ms Kodisa said it was also very important for people to love themselves as individuals, probably more than they love others.

People, she said should be well aware of signs of suicide, noting that action should be taken immediately when signs were noticed. ENDS