Stop Suicide, Save Life

In the recent time, Ghana is experiencing more suicide cases with the youth dominating the people who commit suicide and homicide; the probable causes include misery (depression), poverty, spiritual issues, stigmatization, marital issues, sexual abuses, academic achievement, emotional pains, poor counseling before laboratory examination and disclosure of results, chronic diseases and mental disorder. If Ghana is considered as one of the most peaceful country in the world, dominated by Islam and Christianity, then the incidence of suicide is not only ungodly but also very unacceptable. Judas in the bible regretted and hung himself; Cain committed homicide by killing his brother because he could not achieve his purpose.

Committing suicide is killing one’s self because he/she does not want to continue living. Suicide is a global phenomenon; more than a million people worldwide die by committing suicide each year with a global mortality rate of 1 death every forty seconds. According World Health Organization (WHO), by the year 2020, 1.5 million people will kill themselves annually worldwide. This confirms Ghana’s incidence of five Ghanaians commit suicide daily which has been attributed to mental disorder and depression. It is in the record that Greater Accra region is leading suicide deaths with 451 cases compared to 86 cases in the Central Region, total of 1,556 people. The dominant method of suicide in Ghana is by hanging, poisoning and firearm which have been attributed to impotency, love relationship problems, poverty among others. The worrying experience is the target population between 20 to 35 years. Currently, Ghana is recording incidence of suicide cases among the young people between 9 to 19 years. In the year 2012 alone, Ghana recorded 531 suicide cases among people between 9 to 19 years which was attributed to poor performance in school, inability of parents to provide their needs, love relationship problems among others; whiles 323 deaths among 36 years and above were recorded with the reasons as poverty and impotence.

Human right advocates should preach against this phenomenon. Those who hear that somebody is talking to them to commit suicide, always feeling to harm themselves or others, who feel that they don’t need to get certain years before dying, feeling so much regression of even committing crimes and people who think that they are not themselves all the time should be referred to the health provider. Please in your own health benefit, if you feel strong desire to end your life, see a doctor who can easily help you to overcome that problem. Dear everyone, let’s concertedly fight suicide in our society. Man is an advance living creature created in God’s own image; making him an important personality who needs protection to live up to the number of years assigned him. You may see people who may behave that they do not like you. They rather envy you and wish to be like you. Do not compete in life with anyone. Once there is life, there possibility of succeeding in life. Don’t die, live, enjoy the grace of God; seek counselling from the health provider, the clergy and the traditional authority or the family head. Life is precious so preserve life. Ghana counts on you, feel important and live. God bless you and protect you. Don’t commit suicide, it’s a crime. Once there is life, there is hope!

Daniel Djan
Health Training Secretariat
Ministry of Health
Accra.
(0244897338)