Dr Olusola Olowookere, Consultant Psychiatrist, CEO Grey Insights Limited
Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Olusola
Olowookere, has called for effective multi-sectoral approach at all levels to prevent suicide and attempted suicide.
Olowookere, a UK based practitioner And CEO Grey Insights Limited spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos in commemoration of the 2020 World Suicide Prevention Day.
World Suicide Prevention Day is marked globally every Sept.10 to address and prevent mental health related issues that lead to suicide and this year’s theme is: “Preventing Suicide Together’’.
The expert, who said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had insisted that suicides are preventable, stressed the need for comprehensive multi-sectoral suicide prevention collaboration.
According to him, the apex UN health agency said several measures could be taken at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts.
“These include: reducing access to the means of suicide (example pesticides, firearms, certain medications); responsibly reporting by media.
“Introducing alcohol policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol; early identification, treatment and care of people with mental and substance use disorders, chronic pain and acute emotional distress.
“Training of non-specialised health workers in the assessment and management of suicidal behaviour; and follow-up care for people who attempted suicide and provision of community support.
“Suicide is a complex issue and, therefore, suicide prevention efforts require coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of the society, including the health sector and others such as education, labour, agriculture, business, justice, law, defence, politics, and the media.
“These efforts must be comprehensive and integrated as no single approach alone can make an impact on an issue as complex as suicide.
“Everyone in all sector needs from education, business, justice, agriculture, law, defence, politics, to the media,” Olowookere said.
He noted that stigmatisation had remained a big issue for people with a mental health issue.
Olowookere added that this social stigma could be stopped by educating the public.
“Educational anti-stigma interventions present factual information about a mental health condition to correct misinformation or contradict negative attitudes and beliefs.
“It counters inaccurate stereotypes or myths by replacing them with factual information.
“An example would be an education campaign to counter the idea that people with mental illness are violent or should be isolated and abandoned.
“Mental health literacy programme is a common educational strategy.
There is evidence that in-school mental health literacy programme improves knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking behaviour.
“There is also some evidence that basic health education to improve mental health literacy may be effective in reducing stigma for school-age children.
“Mental health literacy campaigns have also focussed on how to encourage individuals and families to seek needed services.
“There is need to be intense advocacy about the impact of stigmatisation on a person going through a form of mental health condition,” he said.
Source: NAN
