WHO calls for 'creating hope through action'

8 September 2023 (PEN) On the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day, WHO called on governments, communities, families, civil society and individuals to "create hope through action" and support survivors and all those who have lost loved ones to this tragedy.

According to the global report entitled "Suicide in the World 2019: Global Health Estimates", more than 77 percent of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries, including those in the Eastern Mediterranean Region where more than 41,000 people are estimated to have died by suicide. year 2019.

The World Health Organization said suicide is a fundamental public health problem with serious social, emotional and economic consequences. It is also the fourth leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29 worldwide.

Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, said: "Suicide is a tragic act of despair, and its prevention requires greater care and attention to communities and among family members, caregivers and others. Timely and effective action by all stakeholders – governments, civil society, communities, families and individuals – can create hope and reduce suicidal behaviour."

According to the World Health Organization, suicide prevention requires the implementation of effective, evidence-based interventions. WHO recommended action to reduce access to means of suicide, such as pesticides, firearms and certain medicines, and to interact with the media in order to ensure responsible media coverage of suicides.

It also recommended enhancing adolescent social and emotional skills and ensuring that suicidal behaviors in affected people are identified early, assessed, treated and followed.

The World Health Organization has adopted "Creating Hope through Action" as the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day for the past three years, saying this includes raising awareness of suicide prevention and reducing the stigma associated with it.