Center for Mental Health (NCMH) and WCO Mongolia co-hosted a press conference for the upcoming World Mental Health Day organized this year under the theme “Suicide prevention”, and called for multi-sectoral collaboration to prevent and reduce suicide by reaching out to help, educate and raise awareness.
WHO Global Health Estimates for the year 2016 indicates that every 40 seconds someone loses their life to suicide. That’s 800,000 losses of life every year. For each suicide, there are more than 20 suicide attempts. It affects men and women, of all ages, and is a public health problem in countries of all income levels.
Suicide is, however, preventable. A comprehensive multi-sectoral strategy is essential in effective prevention, responsive measures and data collection.
Key interventions that have shown success in reducing suicides are:
- Restricting access to means of suicide;
- Responsible reporting of suicide by the media;
- Building life skills among young people that enable them to cope with stresses in their life;
- Early identification, management and follow-up of people at risk of suicide.
Dr. Nasantsengel, Director General of National Center for Mental Health, stressed that prevention is key and emphasised the role of parents in providing timely care and attention and obtaining professional assistance for their children. Help is available at Mental Health Units of Family, Soum, Province and District Health Centers. In addition, 24/7 helpline is available at NCMH for people suffering from drug addiction, depression, anxiety, insomnia and other mental health problems.