National Suicide Prevention Strategy: Here's What It Means, Its Objectives And Goals
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday announced the National Suicide Prevention Strategy- the first-of-its-kind policy in the country to prevent suicides and promote mental health.
One lakh lives are lost every year in India due to suicide. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday announced the National Suicide Prevention Strategy- the first-of-its-kind policy in the country to prevent suicides nationwide and promote mental health.
What is India's National Suicide Prevention Strategy?
With the implementation of this policy, the government hopes to reduce suicide mortality by 10% by 2030 through time-bound action plans and multi-sectoral collaborations.
According to the ministry, the strategy will provide the groundwork for the promotion of mental health and the prevention of suicides over the next decade. The new strategy is in line with the World Health Organisation’s South East-Asia Region Strategy for suicide prevention.
Objectives of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy
There are four main objectives of the strategy-
1. The initiative aims to build efficient surveillance mechanisms for suicide within the next three years.
2. It seeks to establish psychiatric outpatient departments that will provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Programme in all districts within the next five years.
3. It also intends to implement a mental health curriculum in all educational institutions during the following eight years.
4. It intends to develop guidelines for ethical media reporting of suicides, as well as to restrict access to means of suicide.
Implementation mechanism
1. The strategy should now be handed on to the states, who should construct locally appropriate action plans before cascading to the district, primary health care, and community levels.
2. Improving the capacity of health care services to provide suicide prevention services
3. Developing community resilience and societal support for suicide prevention and reduce stigma associated with suicidal behaviours.
Suicides In India
India is a middle-income country with the greatest young population and a high suicide rate. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), every year more than one lakh lives are lost to suicide. A total of 25,891 suicides were reported in the 53 megacities of the country during 2021, with the highest in Delhi. The NCRB reported that India saw an increase in suicide by 7.17% from the years 2020 to 2021. Most suicides in India are by youth and middle-aged adults — with 65 per cent of the suicides in 2020 being reported in the age group of 18-45 years. Daily wage earners remained the largest profession-wise group among suicide victims last year, according to the data.
India's ongoing suicide prevention initiatives
1. The National Mental Health Policy (2014) focuses on the prevention of mental disorders, the reduction of suicide and attempted suicide.
2. The Mental Healthcare Act 2017, which took effect in May 2018, essentially decriminalized attempted suicide, which was formerly punished under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code. It ensured that those who attempted suicide were given options for rehabilitation by the government rather than being prosecuted or penalised.
3. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a 24/7 toll-free helpline "KIRAN" To provide support to people facing anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health concerns.
4. The Ministry of Education under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan started Manodarpan as an initiative to handle mental health issues. It is aimed to provide psychosocial support to students, family members and teachers for their mental health and well-being during the times of Covid-19.
Several other national programmes including the National Mental Health Program, National Palliative Care Program, Ayushman Bharat and Nasha Mukti Abhiyaan Task Force are also in place.
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