Madam Patience Ami Mamattah, the Ningo-Prampram Municipal Health Director, has advised the public to be vigilant and identify suicidal tendencies among relatives, friends, and associates to help reduce suicide attempts.

Madam Mamattah urged families, church members,s and community leaders to pay attention to behavioural changes among people around them and encourage those exhibiting such signs to seek professional help.

She made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Prampram.

“We should all look out for signs in our families, church members, rs and other close associates and support them to seek care,” she said.

She explained that trained health professionals were available within the municipality to handle such cases, stressing that early intervention could save lives.

Madam Mamattah outlined some warning signs of suicidal tendencies, including mood swings, persistent sadness, feelings of emptiness and hopelessness, loss of interest in activities, reduced appetite, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.

Other indicators include irritability, excessive guilt, and withdrawal from social interactions.

Meanwhile, data from the health directorate indicated that 97 attempted suicide cases were recorded in 2025, compared with 10 cases in 2024 and five in 2023.

Touching on depression, Madam Mamattah disclosed that 364 cases were recorded in the municipality in 2025, compared with 26 in 2024 and 11 in 2023.

She said out of the 364 cases recorded in 2025, 130 were from Prampram, 14 from Old Ningo, 28 from Nyigbenya-Dawa, 119 from Dawhenya, and 73 from Afienya Mataheko.

Madam Mamattah explained that the sharp increase in reported cases was largely due to the introduction of population-level mental health screening in the municipality in 2025.

“I do not think the increase is out of place because until last year,r we were not screening at the population level. We started the screening in 2025, which explains the higher figures,” she said.

She noted that the screening programme needed to continue for some time before a clearer picture of the mental health situation in the municipality could be established.

Madam Mamattah encouraged residents to take mental health issues seriously and seek professional help when necessary.

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