The Plateau Commissioner of Health, Dr. Cletus Bako Shurkuk has described suicide as a strange phenomenon in the African society.
He made this statement when the Jos University Teaching Hospital Suicide Prevention and Response Team paid him a visit, during which he promised that the ministry would work in collaboration with the team to ensure that the incidence of suicide was curtailed in the society.
Shurkuk said the ministry was working towards establishing a mental health section in the ministry which would handle mental health and suicide issues, commended the team for its initiative.
Speaking earlier was the team leader, Dr. Bwatyum Annah Gyang, who said the team started six years ago, saying it was a response to the increasing rate of suicide in Nigeria and globally.
She said the body of mental health professionals responded and started what is called the ” Suicide prevention and self initiative in Nigeria” where they reach out to the hospitals with the aim of having membership where they took up the challenge and open up opportunities for people to volunteer within the hospital settings.
Gyang said currently, they have a hotline that is available 24/7 for people to call in during emergencies, saying they linked people outside the state with other experts close to them.
She said they engaged with various media outlets in the state to provide awareness on suicide prevention, mental health and promotion, adding that they were also on the social media because that is where the young populace express their distress.
Gyang said the world suicide prevention day is observed 10th of September yearly, adding that they use the opportunity to have some strategic responses or intervention, explaining that their passion was to see that suicide was decriminalized on the Plateau just as Lagos.
She disclosed that statistics show that 90% of those that commit suicide suffer from mental health challenges and depression.
She said they were available to render support whenever they were called upon.
Also speaking was Dr. Maigida kurkat, the chairperson of the planning committee, who disclosed that their lineup of activities include a visit to the Plateau State University, Bokkos to interact with the students on the 9th and round up on the 10th with the state civil servants by having a walk and a talk at the state ministry of health vicinity.
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