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World Suicide Prevention Day

World Suicide Prevention Day is commemorated on 10 September each year and aims to provide worldwide efforts in suicide prevention. Various activities around the world have been carried out since 2003. Collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health, The International Association for Suicide Prevention hosted World Suicide Prevention Day. An estimated of 40 countries held awareness events to mark this occasion in 2011.

In 2014, WHO’s Mental Health Atlas released that low-income countries reported not having any national suicide prevention strategy while about 10% of low-middle income countries and 30% of upper, middle and high-income countries reported having national suicide prevention strategy. “Suicide has a number of complex and interrelated and underlying contributing factors… that can contribute to the feelings of pain and hopelessness. Having access to means to kill oneself – most typically firearms, medicines and poisons – is also a risk factor”. As quoted by Campaign release.

In July 2021, a media release by Samaritans of Singapore: Singapore reported 452 suicide deaths in the year 2020 and part of the suicide cases were elderly suicide deaths which was the highest recorded since 1991. The rise in number of suicide deaths were recorded across all age groups. From 2019, there was a 7% increase in the number of suicide deaths of youths aged between 10 to 29 years old and middle-aged adults aged between 30 to 59 years old whereas the number of suicide deaths of elderly aged 60 years old and above increased by a significant 26% from 2019.

This trend is rather worrying and we should all step up our awareness on mental health. At Resource Hub, we have selected books related to mental health for your reading pleasure and knowledge. Speaking of which, have you registered for MDIS Mental Health Series 2021? How about inviting someone whom you think will benefit him or her? For all you know, you could help save someone’s precious live.