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General News of Sunday, 13 October 2019

Source: www.ghananewsagency.org

More people attempt suicide in Nkoranza Municipality

Last year, 17 people between 25 and 35 years attempted to commit suicide Last year, 17 people between 25 and 35 years attempted to commit suicide

Cases of attempted suicide are recording disturbing figures in the Nkoranza South Municipality of the Bono East Region, Mr George Kwame Osei, the Municipal Mental Health Focal Person, said on Friday.

Last year, 17 people between 25 and 35 years attempted to commit suicide, while six attempted cases were reported from January to June this year.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to mark this year's celebration of the World Mental Health Day at Dotobaa, a farming community in the Municipality Mental, Mr Osei said most of the victims could not succeed.

Broken down relationships, depression, substance abuse and economic hardships are major identifiable factors contributing to cases.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) sets aside October 10, every year to mark the World Mental Health Day to call on governments to intensify education and information on issues relating to mental health.

Mr Osei explained that mental health cases were alarming in the Municipality, saying in 2018, 99 cases of epilepsy, 20 cases of depression and 43 cases of substance abuse were reported in the area.

He expressed concern over high cost of drugs and called on the government to capture mental health under the National Health Insurance Scheme for patients to easily access drugs.

Mr Osei also appealed to the government to address intermittent shortage of drugs to support the treatment of patients.