CHENNAI: “As there is an urgent need for a national plan on mental health, the Union Health Ministry has, at last, taken initial steps to bring out a National Suicide Prevention Plan,” said Dr Lakshmi Vijayakumar, founder-trustee, SNEHA. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of ‘SNEHA Suicide Update 2019’, a three-day conference here on Friday, Dr Lakshmi said, “Two months ago, the Union Health Ministry wrote to me, asking me to develop a draft National Suicide Prevention Plan. After I submitted the first draft, they started to circulate it,” she added.
Saying that 60 per cent of farmer suicides are happening in dry regions in Karnataka, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Dr Lakshmi said there was a need for reducing availability of pesticides among farmer community. “This is one of the important components of the draft National Suicide Prevention Plan”.
Apart from this, developing basic supportive skills and how to identify a person with suicidal tendencies were some of the strategies discussed in the plan, Dr Lakshmi said. In her video message from Geneva, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organisation (WHO), said,” Eighty per cent of happenings happen in low and middle income countries, according to 2016 statistics. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the 15-29 age group, according to the latest statistics. WHO, in its priorities, has Mental Health Services and there is a need to look at methods of tests which are affordable, cost-effective and efficient.”
Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former Governor of West Bengal, said, “Each and every one in the society is responsible for various forms of suicides that are taking place in the country. A few forms of suicides are community suicides, self-immolation, and suicidal attacks. All of these forms of suicides should be examined.” Grading system of students, and comparison with other persons in terms of looks and qualities are some of the culprits. he said. The conference was organised as part of the 33rd anniversary of SNEHA.