[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is set to launch its Inter-Agency Suicide Prevention Hotline after months of being in the works.
The hotline is set for official launching on Thursday, August 06 at the Police Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Road, Georgetown.
There have been numerous calls from civil society for such a program to be launched given the high incidence of suicide in Guyana. Currently, only 28 countries are known to have national suicide prevention strategies.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) in its first global report on suicide prevention in 2014, revealed that Guyana is the country with the highest estimated suicide rate for 2012 globally with Suriname ranking as the sixth highest.
According to the report, “Suicide rates in this Region show a first peak among the young, remain at the same level for other age groups and rise again in elderly men. In high-income countries, hanging accounts for 50% of suicides, and firearms are the second most common method, accounting for 18% of suicides.”
The WHO further noted that the relatively high proportion of suicides by firearms in high-income countries is primarily driven by high-income countries in the Americas where firearms account for 46% of all suicides; in other high-income countries firearms account for only 4.5% of all suicides.
The report stated more than 800, 000 people die by suicide every year – around one person every 40 seconds. Some 75% of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Pesticide poisoning, hanging and firearms are among the most common methods of suicide globally. Evidence from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United States and a number of European countries reveals that limiting access to these means can help prevent people dying by suicide.
Suicide is a terrible, dark secret resting upon the shores of Guyana.
There is also much primitive psychology amoung the masses ;a sort of nazi mentality which seeks to acquire power over others whether by dominion of force and violence or through dogmas and superstitions.
People here take it for granted that humans are born a certain way and cannot improve and become better.That, BY BELONGING TO A PARTICULAR RELIGION,GROUP OR RACE, THEY ARE SUPERIOR AND THEREBY FREE TO EXERCISE SUZERAINITY OVER OTHERS.
THE power to lord over others come only from a higher power which has to be earned over long period of training and education UNDER such a superman.
Many of the older traditions are steeped with experiences which have taught them many wisdom and knowledge.
The psychology of beating and brutalizing to acquire respect and prestige is defective .One is respected by virtues.Hence virtues have to be sought after. A goverment which rewards its citizens for their virtues is certainly a good one!!
To have a great nation born from nobilty and virtues is certainly a prosperity.
Other nations go to great lengths at preparing their young ‘uns through vigorous training and exercises while others deny thir own through competiton and rivalry.We are our brothers’ keepers and death by suicide is ours to share too!
Finally take what is best from AMERICA and Europe- while we may be unable to tolerate the heat we might do well by keeping the temperature down.
Stop the open abuses and cursing ,the roadside brawls and ghetto- style living.
Religion teaches simple living and high thinking and have produced some of the greatest nations today. do not give the “GLAMOUR BOYS AND GIRLS ” EVERYTHING….GIVE TO THE POOR AND SIMPLE OAFS TOO!
HE WHO GIVES GOD SECOND PLACE GIVES HIM NO PLACE AT ALL…….PARAMHAMSA YOGANANDA-JI.
FINALLY,A NATION RUN BY A GODLESS SECT IS REALLY SPELLING TROUBLE. THE LEADERS CAN SET AN EXAMLE BY BEING GOD-FEARING THEMELVES!!!!
Trained personnel that’s the key. People who are qualified and trained to speak with someone who is suicidal. Oh I do hope that that someone will be there to answer the phone and it does not ring out.
Great idea staffed with trained personnel many lives can be saved
Don’t bother about suicide hot lines now, think about the rise in crime on a daily basis.
Alcoholism needs as much, possibly even more, attention.