NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGY

1. Context

• The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare unveiled the 'National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS)' which is the first of its kind policy formulated by the government to prevent suicides as a public health priority.
• NSPS is structured on the lines of the World Health Organization's guidelines for Suicide Prevention in the South East Asian Region.
• The National Strategy promises to adhere to the cultural & social requirements of India, with specific recognition of its current field-level infrastructure.

2. National Suicide Prevention Strategy

• As per Ministry, the policy will set the stage for the promotion of mental health & prevention of suicides in the coming decade.
• The goal of the strategy is to reduce suicide mortality in the country by 10% by 2023.
• The strategy provides a framework for multiple stakeholders to implement activities for the prevention of suicides in the country.
• The aim is to synthesise stakeholder efforts with the motto of "energise to synergise".

3. NSPS-Objectives

1. It seeks to establish effective surveillance for suicide within the next three years.
2. It seeks to establish psychiatric outpatient departments that will provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Program in all districts within the next 5years.
3. It aims to integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next eight years.
4. To strengthen surveillance of suicide & further generation of evidence through evaluation, which will ensure improvement in the programme quality.

4. Need of NSPS

• Data from WHO 2018, shows that nearly 8,00,000 people die by suicide every year.
• Nearly one-third of all suicides occur among young people.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds & second leading cause of death for females aged 15-19 years.
• In India, suicide has become the number one cause of death among those aged 15-29 years, exceeding deaths due to road traffic accidents & maternal mortality.
• India's contribution to global suicides increased from 25.3% in 1990 to 36.6% in 2016 among women; 18.7% to 24.3% among men.
• More than one lakh lives are lost every year to suicide in India.
• The suicide rate has increased from 10.2 to 11.3% per 1,00,000 population over the past 3 years.
• The COVID pandemic has brought unprecedented times with various disruptions, impacting people's mental health, and requiring specific interventions.
• The most common reasons for suicides include family problems and illnesses which account for 34% & 18% of all suicide-related deaths in India.
• Other common reasons include marital conflicts, love affairs, bankruptcy or indebtedness, substance use & dependence.
• In Approximately 10% of the suicides, the cause is not documented.

5. Implementation Framework

• The implementation framework of the NSPS envisions five key stakeholders responsible for realising the objectives.
• These include national-level ministerial stakeholders, state-level governmental stakeholders, district-level governmental stakeholders, NIMHANS & other top mental health institutes & strategic collaborators.
• Reinforcing leadership, partnerships & institutional capacity in the country.
• Enhancing the capacity of health services to provide suicide prevention services.
• Developing community resilience & societal support for suicide prevention & reduce the stigma associated with suicidal behaviours.
• Among the ministries that are to be involved in implementing the strategy are agriculture, home affairs, information & broadcasting, social justice & empowerment, education, labour, women & child development, information technology, youth affairs & sports.
• The National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) will play an anchoring role, offering support to the implementation.

6. Suicide Prevention Initiatives in India

• The National Mental Health Policy (2014) observes the prevention of mental disorders, reduction of suicide & attempted suicide as core priority areas.
• The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 brought in some necessary changes.
• The Act that came into force in May 2018 effectively decriminalised attempted suicide, which was punishable under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code.
• It ensured that the individuals who have attempted suicide are offered opportunities for rehabilitation from the government as opposed to being tried or punished.

7. Final Word

• Experts point out that the priority areas would be to reinforce leadership, establish partnerships & institutional capacity, enhance health services to provide suicide prevention, strengthen surveillance & ensure that provisions are made for evidence generation.
• Co-opting the various State governments in this massive venture will be essential to ensure success in lowering the suicide rate in the country.

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