Group advocates collective approach to suicide prevention, decriminalization of suicide attempt

 

 

The Nigeria Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group, in a webinar to commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), says to prevent suicide and decriminalize attempted suicide in Nigeria require a whole-society approach.

The webinar, hosted by Coordinator of the Group, Prof. Taiwo Sheikh, had various stakeholders and members of the general public on Wednesday in Lagos.

The webinar had the theme: “Shifting Perspectives: Redefining Suicide Prevention In Nigeria”.

The WSPD is an awareness day always observed on Sept. 10 every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicide.

In his opening remarks, Sheikh, also a Consultant Psychiatrist, said the overview of the programme was to address the issue of suicide with focus on the need to prevent suicide, decriminalise attempted suicide and give hope to victims; their families and the society.

He identified some of the prevailing psycho-social circumstances that make Nigerians contemplate suicide to include economic hardships, frustration, financial imbalance, depression, mental health condition, insecurity, among others.

“Most times, people who attempt suicide do not ordinarily want to kill themselves, but the circumstances and challenges around lured them into the act.

“Hence, the need to address the challenges and render care and love to such people, rather than criminalising them,” he said.

Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Lifeline International, Thili Perera, said that prevention of suicide was more important now than ever before because statistics showed that suicide was responsible for 720,000 deaths annually.

Perera said suicide was the third leading cause of death globally and the second leading cause of death in Africa, saying that it occurs more in low and middle income countries.

She emphasised the need to treat people who had attempted suicide with compassion and to change the narrative of criminalisation of attempted suicide so as to save more lives.

On legal perspective regarding decriminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria, Prof. Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, a Legal Practitioner and Founder of Centre for Health Ethics Law and Development (CHELD), gave an exposure to the existing laws.

Onyemelukwe said the existing laws in the criminal code and penal code states that a person who attempts suicide has committed an offence and was liable to one year imprisonment or a fine.

According to her, these laws have led to a gross under reporting of suicidal attempts and deaths.

She said that as part of the human right to health – health in its full dimension which includes mental health – persons who have attempted suicide should be supported and cared for, not punished.

“In order for this narrative to change, laws that criminalise suicide attempts should be repealed and replaced with laws that support human rights,” Onyemelukwe said.

On the religious, cultural and social perspective to suicide, Abubakar Muhammad, gave the view from the Islamic faith, Dr Tosin Adekeye, gave the view from the Christian faith and Dr Timothy Adigun gave the perspective from the traditional/cultural view.

The speakers highlighted that religion has a very important role in shaping the views of the people about suicide.

A Suicide-Attempt Survivor, Mr Joseph Olasupo described the circumstances that led to his ideation for suicide and how he survived some suicidal attempts.

Olasupo, also the Director of Research and Development, Asido Foundation, said that the support and care he received after his survival helped him find purpose and drive, saying that now he lives a purposeful life.

Speaking on media guidelines for responsible reporting of suicide, Deborah Adenikinju, Founder of Mental Health Kafe, said that media plays an influential role in shaping societal views.

Adenikinju emphasised the need to use appropriate language and pictures in telling stories of deaths by suicide and or suicidal attempts, stressing the importance of sharing hope, resilience and survival in suicide reports.

On the roles professionals play in suicide prevention, three mental health experts; Prof. James Obindo, Mrs Titi Tade and Prof. Gboyega Abikoye, gave various ways of early detection of warning signs and the need for collaboration among mental health professionals to achieve the goal of suicide prevention.

Prof. Jibril Abdulmalik, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Founder of Asido Foundation, said there was need for collaborative advocacy in suicide prevention between Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs).

Abdulmalik said that NGOs and CSOs could bridge the gap by creating awareness and providing accurate information about suicide as this will help in reducing stigma, shame and discrimination of persons who have attempted suicide.

He gave a case study on collaborative effort of Asido, CHELD and Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) that led to the restoration of a person who had been charged for attempted suicide.

According to him, collaboration is key in actualising the decriminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria.

Dr Aisha Hassan, a mental health advocate, called for collective action, saying that suicide prevention requires a holistic approach involving mental health professionals, law makers, community and religious leaders, educators and all members of the society.

The webinar also featured a plenary session where professional panelists discuss strategies to decriminalise suicidal attempts, the framework of professional roles, key areas for implementation and need for commitment to collaborative support.