Decriminalise suicide, Kwara NMA tells FG

Date: 2019-10-15

The Nigeria Medical Association has called on the Federal Government to decriminalise suicide in the country.

The Deputy Chairman, Kwara State NMA, Prof. Baba Issa, made the appeal at a news conference on Monday in Ilorin.

He said that anyone who attempted suicide obviously needed help, which they didn't get.

Issa was speaking in commemoration of the 2019 Physician's Week holding from October 12 to October 19.

The theme of this year's celebration is "Care of the Unknown Patient: Policy Overview and Review."

The event has other sub-themes like, "Curbing the Increasing Trend of Suicide in Nigeria: The Role of the NMA" and "The Doctor as an Entrepreneur".

Issa noted that suicide was now the second leading cause of death among those in the age bracket 15 and 29 years with many unreported cases.

"And too bad, people are being jailed in Nigeria for attempting suicide.

"Any person who attempted suicide in the first place needed urgent help and would probably not have resulted to suicide if help was available.

"Also, government should regulate the distribution and availability of organophosphate chemicals that have recently become a cheap means of committing suicide," Issa said.

He, however, said that parents and the media also have roles to play in curbing the increasing trend.

"Responsible reportage of suicide is important to avoid copycat suicide as media should avoid sensationalising cases of suicide.

"The media should avoid details of methods and location and emphasising the negative consequences and impact on people left behind.

"And for the parents, they should avoid stigmatisation of suicide, instead encourage people to always seek help and support.

"Let us sacrifice time to know more about our children and wards, and learn to know their strength and weaknesses.

"We should also teach them self esteem and vocation, and always take helpful cues from their non-verbal communication," Issa said.

He further said that a person contemplating suicide should never be left alone at any point in time as the next few seconds without help might be too late.

Issa said there were organisations that help persons contemplating suicide and that they can be reached via the following helplines: 09080217555, 09034400009, 08111909909, 07013811143, and Hausa - 08142241007.

Issa also listed Kwara State Health lines as 07062961307, 07030659980, 08033559293, 08035307683, 08165353198, 07032589606, 08034340230 and 08037211707.

(NAN)

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Islamiya Abdulraheem     Abegunde Goke     Saidu Isa     Ekiti     Dele Belgore     Saliu Shola Taofeek     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Danhawa     Yusuf AbdulRasheed     AbdulRauf Keji     Olomu     Ilorin South Constituency     Okedare     Olaitan Adefila     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Saheed Popoola     Amos Justus Sayo     Saduki Lafiagi     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Council Of The Wise     Sunday Fagbemi     Al-Adaby     Saad Omo Iya     Abdulmajeed Wahab     Paul Olawoore     LABTOP     Rihanat Ajia     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     AbdulQowiy Olododo     Kamaldeen Gambari     Oba-Solagberu     Idris Garuba     NURTW     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Oluranti Idowu     Kolo     Dunmade     National Broadcasting Commission     Yahaya Seriki Gambari     Salihu Yahaya     Sunday Otokiti     Kayode Bankole     IQRA College     Adebayo Salami     Yekini Adio     Admiralty Villa     Jimoh Akani     Sulyman Atolagbe Alege     NITDA     08001000100     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Agor     Quarry Royal Valley     Henry Makinwa     Benin Republic     Mohammed Ibrahim     KWASSIP     Samuel Elizabeth Keatswa     UNILORIN Alumni Association     Shonga     Bola Olukoju     Tafida     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Oniyangi Kunle Sulaiman     Olusegun Adeniyi     Kumbi Titilope     Muhammad Fawaz Abubakar     Lasiele Alabi Yahaya     Nagode     Amusement Park     Sobi Specialist Hospital     Ajike People Support Centre     SARS     Bluenile Associates     Isiaq Khadeejah     Omar Gambari     Monkey Pox    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

John Olajide Adedipe     AbdulRasaq Abdulmajeed Alaro     Moses Adekanye     Muhammad Yahya     Share     Saliu Shola Taofeek     Samuel Elizabeth Keatswa     Babajide Ajayi     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     Mustapha Akanbi     Government House     Ajike People Support Centre     Olufolake Abdulrazaq     Emir Of Shonga     Jamiu Oyawoye     Abdulrazaq Adebayo     Olanrewju Okanlawon Musa     REO CAKES     Adama Isa     Reuben Paraje     Tunde Idiagbon Road     Mohammed Lawal Bagega     Pakata     Ramadhan     Akom Construction And Engineering Synergy Ltd     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     Ishola Balogun Fulani     Taofeek Ibraheem     IHS Towers     Susan Modupe Oluwole     Yusuf AbdulRasheed     Rihanat Ajia     Minimum Wage     UNIFEMGA     Quareeb Islamic Association     Maja     Adaramaja     Iyabo Adisa Ibiyeye     Muyiwa Oladipo Kanu     Muslim Stakeholders Of Kwara State     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Ibraheem Abdullateef     Michael Imoudu National Institute For Labour Studies     Kupchi Hosea Maxwell     Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Alumni Association Of The Federal Polytechnic Offa     Ekiti     Timothy Akangbe     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     GAMA     HYPPADEC     Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara     Odo-Owa     UTME     Kola Adesina     Sulyman Buhari     Tunji Moronfoye     Tafida     Funmilayo Braithwaite     Joshua Adeyemi Adimula     COVID     Egbejila     Doyin Agbamu     Aliyu Olatunji Ajanaku     Hakeem Idris     Shehu Jimoh     Neo Mundo Ltd     Ojuekun Sarumi     Muhammad Mustapha Suleiman     Rex Olawoye     Abdulfatai Ahmed     Oluronke Adeyemi     Balikis Jawondo     Photo News     Unilorin     UNILORIN Alumni Association     Ilorin Durbar