VIJAYAWADA: With the toll free number 1800-274-9896 started by the Education Department to stop student suicides being deactivated, the state no longer has a helpline dedicated to fighting suicides.
Officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department, TNIE spoke to were not only unaware of the absence of such a service but were also dismissive of its necessity.
Over 6,220 people from the state took their lives in 2015 - most of them students - and the average suicide rate in the State is 12.1, as per NCRB data.
According to the officials, almost over 37 intermediate students committed suicide in Andhra Pradesh between 2012 and 2017. Three more students have committed suicide in 2018, after intermediate results were announced.
An official from the communications wing of Board of Intermediate Education, Sikandar Basha said, "Usually, a majority of the complaints or the suicides take place before the board examinations and the toll free is active till then. Just after the completion of exams, due to some technical errors we deactivated it. As the academic year has been started, we would soon activate it. However, the students can still access the board numbers or even my number and they are calling us for various grievances."
Despite having a big number of suicides, the Health and Family Welfare Department, which has to prevent the suicides is completely unaware of the helpline for the prevention of suicides, leave alone its discontinuity.
"We are unaware of the suicide helplines. Even there is no such initiative under the pipeline or at the proposal stage," Additional Director of Health Dr T Geetha Prasadini said, when contacted by TNIE.
Meanwhile, the Psychiatrists are demanding the State government to initiate suicide prevention helpline and the lead the initiative.
Dr Indla Rama Subba Reddy, Senior most Psychiatrist from Vijayawada city says, "Nowadays, the suicides are increasing and it is quite sad to see young people are committing suicides. Having a helpline will surely minimise the number, as the helpline would act like an emotional first aid. In fact, the government should take the lead and start such helplines just like the neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana, who are efficiently dealing the suicides."
Former MLC K Lakshman Rao said the government is least bothered with the lives of the people. The biggest issue suicides, especially students suicides is always getting neglected, he pointed out. "The toll-free numbers doesn't work, officials doesn't take action against colleges, everything is taken for granted. Students lives shouldn't end due to the negligence of the officials," he said.
According to Praja Aarogya Vedika Convenor Dr S Suresh, the States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and even Telangana are striving to prevent student suicide by operating suicide prevention helplines. "Almost all the southern states and metro cities have these helplines and they pretty doing good. It is sad, that our State health department is not at all concerned to start a helpline or even lead or support the NGO's which could start one," he said.
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