Suicide is a big problem where you’d least expect it

National Public Radio

A recently released report by the World Health Organization showed that three-fourths of the world’s suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries. Shekhar Saxena, director of the department of mental health and substance abuse at the World Health Organization, noted that this finding contradicts a common perception that suicide is a problem mainly for wealthier nations. In rural areas of Asia, Africa, and Central America, ingestion of pesticides is a common suicide method, and some governments are using this knowledge to determine action steps. The government of Sri Lanka, for example, is providing clinics with supplies of the antidote used for pesticide poisoning, so that patients don’t have to wait for treatment. Dr. Saxena said that only 28 countries have established national suicide prevention strategies, and that he does not believe funding is a major obstacle. “Suicide prevention is not expensive,” he said.  “It’s a matter of getting the right policies, training the existing health and associated staff in recognizing people at high risk and also mobilizing communities and civil society and self-help groups to create the kind of awareness that one needs.”

Spark Extra! Read the World Health Organization report, Preventing Suicide: A Global Imperative.