Preventing suicide: an urgent imperative

Abstract

Suicide is a complex but preventable public health problem globally. For every suicide death, there are generally between eight and twenty five attempted suicides. Although the causes of suicide are multidimentional and multifaceted, cost effective preventive strategies are readily available even in resource constrained settings. About 6.11 per 100,000 Nigerians intentionally take their lives annually and this figure appears to be on the rise. This article examines some evidence based preventive strategies that are urgently needed to promote awareness and build resilience with a view to stemming the rising trend of suicide in Nigeria. It is recommended that a comprehensive and integrated approach involving inter-agency collaboration among multiple sectors of the society including the health sector, education, criminal justice system, legal, political and the media be adopted.

Keywords: Suicide; Suicidal behavior; Suicide prevention: Nigeria