‘There’s One Suicide Every 36 Hours’

It can be prevented and we all need to help, says President Konrote

Fiji has one attempted suicide every 36 hours, says President Major-General (Ret’d) Jioji Konorote. The President made the observation during his address at the Fiji College of General Practitioners convocation awards night at the Grand Pacific Hotel on Friday. He said most suicides each year involved someone with a mental health or substance abuse disorder. He said 620 people in Fiji committed suicide over the last five years while 579 people were reported to have attempted suicide. “Evidence shows that treating psychosis rapidly not only dramatically improves someone’s chances of recovery. It could also save the health ministry, the nation, millions of dollars in a year in reduced hospital admissions and associated costs. “One of the biggest assumptions most people make about suicide is that, if someone is determined to kill himself, there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop them. Even with the best will in the world if their mind is made up, their death is tragic but inevitable,” President Konrote said. He said the truth was that suicides could be prevented with the help of all of us as human beings. “Together we need to create a culture in our country where everyone can talk about his or her mental health problems without fear, embarrassment or judgment. And today is the day for us to start that conversation because silence costs lives.” Edited by Manasa Kalouniviti