Mpilo Central Hospital lately saw a significant increase in suicide attempts, particularly among people under the age of thirty.
According to medical data, there has been a remarkable 245 percent increase in suicide attempts, with 38 cases documented in the first two months of this year alone, up from 11 occurrences in the same period in 2023.
Professor Solwayo Ngwenya, the clinical director of Mpilo Central Hospital, observed, “In just two months into the year, we already have 38 cases, which is concerning.”
The most common strategy used by patients in these efforts is to eat a fatal combination of insecticides and alcohol.
This troubling trend not only underlines the urgent need for assistance, but it also calls to light a deeper issue affecting Zimbabwe.
The country‘s suicide rate has been rising and now exceeds the global average. In 2020, Zimbabwe had a suicide rate of 18 per 100,000 people, which was much higher than the global average of 10.5 per 100,000. Furthermore, its rate exceeds that of other nations like South Africa and Mozambique.
Experts believe that the reasons for this increase in suicide attempts are diverse. Failed marriages, work-related stress, unemployment, family disintegration, and sorrow have all been implicated as significant contributors.
Furthermore, sadness and bullying have revealed as key contributors to these upsetting episodes.
Professor Ngwenya emphasised the critical necessity for a community-wide response to this rising situation.
“This is a wake-up call for us as a community,” he said, asking people to prioritise their mental health and resuscitate traditional social institutions like extended families, which may serve as a support network for people in distress.
Recognising the gravity of the situation, Mpilo Central Hospital is working relentlessly to assist those in need.
psychological nurses are providing counselling to patients, and survivors are being referred to Ingutsheni Central Hospital for additional psychological care.
As the community deals with this distressing increase in suicide attempts, it is critical that individuals, families, healthcare professionals, and society as a whole work together to raise awareness and implement effective strategies to address the underlying causes and provide the necessary support to those who are vulnerable.