The National President, Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria (APN), Dr Taiwo Sheikh, has attributed increase in suicide rate in the country to absence of national prevention strategies. Speaking at the Health Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) annual Symposium in Lagos, with the theme ‘Rising Incidents of Suicide,  the Way Out’, Dr Sheik noted that since the year 2000, establishment of national prevention strategies in 28 countries of the world has led to a decline in suicide rate in those countries.

“In Europe, they have 13 programmes, America has eight, Western Pacific has five, South East Asia has two programmes, while Africa and Nigeria, have zero intervention programmes. That is why suicide rate is on the increase in our country.  It is declining in those places because they have put certain things in place.” He said.

 

Attributing suicide as second leading cause of death among youths, he asserted that, “in Europe, they have blocked access to the different means of suicide such as changing the design of their bridges so people don’t go and jump to death.  America is blocking access to firearms and harmful medications too. Here in Nigeria, nothing is being done to prevent suicide; rather we are talking about banning the sale of ‘Snipper”.