The Greater Accra Region has recorded the highest number of suicide cases among all the 16 regions in the country, according to the Mental Health Authority (MHA).
At a symposium in Accra yesterday to mark World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), the MHA said among the 543 attempted suicide cases and 83 deaths from suicide recorded within the first half of this year, the Greater Accra Region was the highest.
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The number indicates a concerning rise in suicide cases when compared to the 594 attempts and 48 recorded deaths for the entire previous year.
The Eastern and Central regions followed the Greater Accra Region on the number of suicide cases recorded.
Speaking at the symposium, the Chief Executive Officer of the MHA, Professor Pinaman Appau, noted that there was an increase in suicide attempts by males when compared to females.
Prof. Appau mentioned a recent study by Azazu and Joe, 2023, and stated that it is important to give these groups more attention because the threat is equally common among adolescents, especially junior high students.
According to the study, junior and senior high school students had a prevalence of 20.4 percent for suicidal thoughts, 23.4 percent for planning suicide, and 28.4 percent for actual suicide attempts.
According to the CEO, there are many different risk factors that contribute to suicide attempts, but the main worry is more severe socioeconomic problems challenges.
In order to ensure that “seeking help is no longer seen as a sign of weakness but strength and where every individual feels valued and supported,” she urged for community efforts to prioritise mental health.
The symposium was on the theme “Changing the narrative on suicide with a call to action; Start the conversation.”
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The three-year theme, which is observed on September 10 every year, attempts to increase awareness of the significance of lowering stigma and promoting open conversations in order to prevent suicides.
