Group advocates collective approach to suicide prevention, decriminalisation 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 decriminalise 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 recently 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.

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.