| – Alcohol accounts for one-third of cases Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy has revealed that approximately 180-200 people die as a result of suicide every year in Guyana and recognized that this is a major public health scourge that needs immediate attention.Dr Leslie RamsammyAlcohol usage is responsible for one-third of the aforementioned figure.At a press conference held yesterday at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ramsammy noted that over the past five years, the police reported that an average of 150 persons die by suicide each year, but the Ministry of Health has found that the deaths by suicide are more than what is actually being reported.According to Minister Ramsammy, in 1988, Guyana reported that only 150 suicide deaths occurred at that time, but explained that barely half of the deaths were being reported.However, Dr. Ramsammy said that this is not the case now. “All suicide deaths today are being recorded…and so the Ministry of Health actually verifies every death in Guyana.I’m sure that people are not unaware that some death certificates may not report the actual cause of death, whether it’s an HIV death or a suicidal death, because there is a stigma related to that. And so we go back to the source to find out the actual cause of death.”The ministry, he emphasized, is cognizant that alcohol and other substance abuse issues are facilitating factors that lead to suicide, while depression is another major cause for persons killing themselvesIn this regard,NFL Jerseys China, it was explained that depression guidelines have been developed and the ministry will soon introduce depression diagnosis and treatment across the primary health care system.The health minister said that in every country of the world, suicide is in the top five causes of death between the age group of 15-44.The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported an average of 1.5 million deaths by suicide per year, but pointed out that this only represents between 50–60 percent of the actual number, as many suicide deaths are not reported.The WHO estimates that the actual figure could be 2-3 million.According to Ramsammy, for the past five years a lot of focus has been placed on surveillance.“We wanted to know how much, where it is occurring and among who it is occurring….we want to know what the causes are and what the facilitating reasons are, as the cause is not the boyfriend-girlfriend type… this is one of the facilitating reasons.There are underlying reasons because not every boy or girl or husband and wife that quarrel end up committing suicide,” Minister Ramsammy stated.He lauded the substance abuse programmes being conducted by the Salvation Army and the Phoenix Recovery Programme.The Phoenix Recovery Programme will commence a residential programme for both male and female in Region 6 in 2009.It was noted that the site has already been located and construction work will soon commence.Ramsammy hopes to have one of the residential programmes in Region 10 also.As it relates to non-residential service, the Georgetown Public Hospital commenced its structured relapse prevention programme where they work with a small number of persons. From July of this year to this month, a total of 67 persons have accessed the treatment.He explained that there is a pre- and post-programme involved in the process.The programme is also made available at the Timehri,Wholesale China Jerseys, Georgetown, Berbice and Lusignan prisons.Minister Ramsammy during a recent interview had noted that the surveys indicate that a vast majority of the people who attempt or are successful at taking their own lives consumed alcohol shortly before so doing.“It doesn’t necessarily mean that these persons are abusing alcohol, but the usage obviously aggravated the instinct to take their lives”.The Ministry of Health recently embarked on an aggressive campaign to curb the increased incidence of substance abuse.There are more than 20 Alcoholic Anonymous-type services that are provided by private organisations locally. However, the response to these services has been lukewarm.The Salvation Army, which he praised during yesterday’s press conference, also has a drug rehabilitation facility for men, including alcohol abusers; and while it has helped numerous persons over the years, it is based on the ‘abstinence model,’ in which the residents are forced to abstain from using alcohol after a programme of detoxification.There is, however, no active medical care initiative in place for patients who have developed mental problems as a result of drug abuse.In the public health care system, the male ward at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation offers a short-term detoxification programme.There is also a limited programme in place at the New Amsterdam out-patient unit.In recognition of the inadequacies of the programme available, the Health Ministry has embarked on a nationwide motivational therapy initiative in collaboration with faith-based organisations, a number of non-governmental organisations and community groups.This initiative, which is designed to strengthen a person’s commitment to behavioural change by focusing on such factors as desire, self-efficacy,Cheap Jerseys From China, need and readiness, has already seen the training of 40 health care workers from across the country.The motivational therapy programme is widely recognised as a simple, broad-based effective way of treating with substance abusers, and is being used in many countries.The aim is to have those trained return to their areas of work to train others, so that, ultimately, all persons at health centres throughout the country will be skilled in counselling substance abusers as well as recognising symptoms of anxiety and depression.“We want to get faith leaders, community groups, even families involved, so that they can recognise someone with suicidal tendencies and be able to employ the motivational therapy… This will mean that people will not have to visit the hospitals, but can receive interventions right at home, or in their communities.”Guyana is benefiting from the skills of Dr Lindsay George from McMaster University in Canada.Minister Ramsammy acknowledged that the factors that contribute to a person’s decision to commit suicide are complex and multifaceted,Jerseys NFL China, and include biological and psychological aspects.“I know that there are many factors that contribute to suicides, but I believe that if we can tackle substance abuse, then we at least are looking at one possible cause.”As another preventative mechanism, the Health Ministry will be working with the Pesticide & Toxic Chemicals Control Board to make poison less accessible to the public.The need to provide a viable support system for persons who attempt to take their lives was also stressed.As it stands, a person who is hospitalised for attempted suicide is just discharged and sent back home.Surveys indicate that people who attempt suicide are prone to repeat the act, and in many cases are successful the next time around.The public health care institutions have seen its share of such instances.“We have lapsed in the area of providing a support system, with the help of the Human Services Ministry, for patients who have attempted suicide… Now, once such a person is discharged from a hospital,nfl jerseys china, a social worker will work with them to ensure that they get the help they need to prevent a repeat of the act.The minister also noted the need for the police to enforce the law against persons who attempt to take their own lives.The suicide rate in Guyana, according to the minister,nfl jerseys china, has been stable for the last couple of years — 26 per 1000 persons — and is comparable with other Caribbean countries, such as Trinidad. |
