Nigeria data an estimated 16,000 suicide deaths yearly, but tried suicide stays a legal offence below present legal guidelines.
To deal with this, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC–Cross River South) has reaffirmed his dedication to advancing the Suicide Prevention Invoice, which seeks to decriminalize tried suicide and set up a nationwide framework for prevention, psychological well being assist, and disaster response providers.
The invoice, which scaled its first studying in February, goals to take away punitive provisions in opposition to tried suicide whereas introducing measures resembling helplines, service supply frameworks, funding, coaching, and information techniques to strengthen nationwide prevention and response mechanisms.
Senator requires pressing authorities consideration
Ekpenyong, who sponsored the invoice, made the pledge in Abuja on Sunday whereas receiving members of the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group, a coalition of psychiatrists, attorneys, civil society organizations, and psychological well being advocates.
The Suicide Prevention Invoice, which scaled its first studying in February, seeks to decriminalize tried suicide and supply a complete framework for prevention, service supply, helplines, and capability constructing for psychological well being practitioners.
“Melancholy, nervousness and different psychological well being circumstances have an effect on tens of millions of Nigerians, but they’re poorly understood and infrequently prioritized. Suicide prevention requires authorities consideration, sustained schooling, and sensitization,” Ekpenyong stated.
He assured the coalition of his dedication to push the invoice throughout its second studying, whereas canvassing the assist of his colleagues for a sturdy debate backed by information and proof.
In keeping with the World Well being Group, yearly, 727,000 individuals take their very own lives, and lots of extra individuals make suicide makes an attempt, and suicide is the third main reason behind dying amongst 15–29-year-olds.
Consultants spotlight boundaries to help-seeking
Talking through the go to, Prof. Sheikh, convener of the coalition, Continental Consultant for LifeLine Worldwide, and former President of the Affiliation of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, stated the legislation criminalizing tried suicide has change into a significant barrier to help-seeking within the nation.
“Once you criminalize tried suicide, you stigmatize people who find themselves already weak. Nigeria data about 16,000 suicide deaths yearly, and that may be a conservative determine as a result of many instances go unreported.
“A lot of the victims are younger individuals, between the ages of 15 and 29. It is a disaster that should be urgently addressed,” Sheikh acknowledged.
He defined that the proposed invoice won’t solely search to expunge punitive legal guidelines in opposition to tried suicide but in addition present for service supply, funding, coaching, helplines, and information techniques to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms nationwide.
Extra perception
Responding, Senator Ekpenyong counseled the coalition for its advocacy and acknowledged the underreported nature of psychological well being points in Nigeria.
“Melancholy, nervousness, and different psychological well being circumstances have an effect on tens of millions of Nigerians, but they’re poorly understood and infrequently prioritized. Suicide prevention is a matter that requires authorities consideration, sustained schooling, and sensitization,” he stated.
The senator assured the group that he would champion the invoice when it comes up for second studying, pledging to work together with his colleagues to make sure sturdy debate backed by sturdy information and proof.
Different coalition members, together with psychiatrists, psychologists, attorneys, and psychological well being advocates, emphasised the pressing want for legislative backing to implement suicide prevention insurance policies.
They cited Nigeria’s excessive youth suicide charge and the rising financial and social prices of untreated psychological well being challenges.
In keeping with the Government Director of the Sunshine Sequence, Aisha Bubah, for each recorded suicide there are not less than 20 extra makes an attempt, underscoring that each delay in passing the invoice means extra lives misplaced.