UN Agency Seeks To Curb "Huge But Largely Preventable" Problem
Of Suicide
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New York, Sep 8 2004 10:00AM
With nearly 1 million people dying from suicide every year, more
than from all homicides and wars combined, the United Nations
health agency today called for concerted global action to curb
what it termed a huge but largely preventable public health
problem.
Suicide is a tragic global public health problem, World Health
Organization (WHO) Assistant-Director General for Noncommunica-
ble Diseases and Mental Health. Catherine Le Galès-Camus said
ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day being marked on Friday.
There is an urgent need for coordinated and intensified global
action to prevent this needless toll."
The agency has produced a series of guidelines for different au-
diences that have a critical role in suicide prevention, includ-
ing health workers, teachers, prison officers, media profession-
als and survivors of suicide. It stressed early identification
and treatment of mental disorders as an important preventive
strategy.
The Director of WHOs Department of Mental Health and Substance
Abuse, Benedetto Saraceno, underlined the role played by the me-
dia, citing evidence that coverage can encourage imitation sui-
cides and urging sensitivity in reporting on these tragic and
frequently avoidable deaths.
"The media can also play a major role in reducing stigma and
discrimination associated with suicidal behaviours and mental
disorders," he added.
Suicidal behaviour has a large number of complex underlying
causes, including poverty, unemployment, loss of loved ones, ar-
guments, breakdown in relationships and legal or work-related
problems.
The most common methods are pesticides, firearms and medication,
such as painkillers, according to WHO, which emphasized that
availability of these means plays an important role in the phe-
nomenon. Having access to the means of suicide is both an im-
portant risk factor and determinant of suicide," said Professor
Lars Mehlum, President of International Association for Suicide
Prevention, a non-governmental organization collaborating with
WHO on the issue.
One recent breakthrough was the move by many pharmaceutical com-
panies to market painkillers in blister packs rather than more
easily accessible bottles, which had a significant impact on
their use as a suicide method, the agency said. Currently atten-
tion is focused on encouraging a reduction in access to pesti-
cides, including safer storage and proper dilutions.
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