2 weeks ago
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The Continental Representative for Lifeline International, Prof. Taiwo Sheikh, has called connected the Nigerian authorities to state termination a nationalist crisis, informing that the state is losing thousands of lives each twelvemonth to a preventable tragedy.
Speaking arsenic the keynote talker astatine Vanguard’s 3rd Mental Health Summit held connected Friday astatine the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Prof. Sheikh described termination arsenic 1 of the astir neglected nationalist wellness emergencies successful Nigeria.
“I’m lasting present contiguous arsenic an advocate. Suicide everyplace is simply a preventable tragedy; it refers fundamentally to self-inflicted death. It is simply a concern 1 is compelled to extremity one’s beingness due to the fact that of the value 1 is experiencing, believing that erstwhile 1 exits, things volition beryllium better. If you look astatine the fig of those which are intentionally self-inflicted measures successful 100,000 people… If we look astatine the scope of the problem, termination has attained a planetary crisis. The UN has declared it arsenic a planetary crisis. It takes 16,000 lives yearly — nary different information takes specified lives, not Boko Haram, others — and yet Nigeria has not declared it arsenic a crisis,” helium said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 successful each 100 deaths globally is owed to suicide, with Africa signaling the highest complaint successful the world. Suicide is the 3rd starring origin of decease among radical aged 15 to 29 globally and the 2nd successful Africa, lone down roadworthy postulation accidents. WHO information suggests that astir 15,000 Nigerians dice by termination each year, though the existent fig is apt higher owed to underreporting and criminalisation.
Prof. Sheikh further explained that portion termination is not a intelligence illness, astir termination cases are linked to intelligence wellness and substance usage disorders.
“Suicide is not intelligence illness, but intelligence unwellness is portion of suicide. We request a standalone broad termination prevention strategy successful Nigeria, including decriminalisation of those who look the challenge. There should beryllium a dedicated money for termination prevention — with entree to that money for those who person attempted suicide. Ninety per cent of termination deaths are related to intelligence wellness conditions and substance usage disorders, and implicit 70 per cent of specified deaths are owed to intelligence wellness conditions. Poor entree to intelligence wellness attraction is simply a immense hazard origin — and that is what is fuelling suicidality successful our country,” helium said.
He stressed that intelligence wellness indispensable beryllium treated arsenic the instauration of nationalist well-being.
“Our intelligence wellness is an aggregate of our emotional, psychological, and societal well-being. It affects however we consciousness and act, and it besides helps find however we subordinate to others, marque choices, and grip stress. The information is, we each person intelligence wellness — which we request to beforehand and support successful bid to forestall intelligence distress and illness,” helium added.
Experts astatine the acme echoed his telephone for a nationalist termination prevention policy, the decriminalisation of termination attempts, and accrued entree to affordable intelligence wellness attraction crossed Nigeria.
The station Nigeria indispensable state termination nationalist situation — Prof. Sheikh appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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