The World Health Organization has issued a warning about the rising rate of suicide in Africa. The United Nations warned that Africa has to address the greatest suicide rate in the world, which is mostly unrecognised and often stigmatised.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), six of the ten countries with the highest suicide rates are located in Africa, and the continent’s per-suicide rate is more than a fifth higher than in other countries.
According to the agency’s Africa division, about 11 individuals per 100,000 each year die by suicide in the African region, greater than the global average of nine per 100,000 people. Methods of execution include hanging and pesticide poisoning as first choices.
An awareness campaign was started by the organisation in anticipation of World Mental Health Day on October 10.
The World Health Organization (WHO) identified stigma and inadequate resources as two of the biggest obstacles to addressing the epidemic.
It is estimated that there is only one psychiatrist for every 500,000 people in Africa, a rate one hundred times lower than the World Health Organisation’s recommended. This shortage of therapists is most acute in post-conflict countries.
Africa spends less than a quarter as much as the UN recommends on mental health, or less than 50 cents per person.
