Create hope through action to prevent suicide

“Suicide is a highly relevant Public Health problem that affects a significant number of Panamanians and Panamanians, currently represents a rate of 3.1% per 100,000 inhabitants in the country and threatens to become a pandemic due to its rapid expansion, representing in our country the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 15 and 19 ”, highlighted Luis Francisco Sucre, Minister of Health.

At a global level, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), some 800 thousand people commit suicide each year, this is one person every 40 seconds. Given this fact, in Panama, Law 174 of November 2, 2020 has been approved, which establishes the legal framework for addressing suicidal risk behaviors; Since 2021, the National Government has created favorable conditions for the regulation of the Law, which is in process.

Today, September 10, when commemorating the world suicide prevention day, under the slogan "Creating hope through action", the National Commission for the comprehensive approach to suicidal risk behaviors was set up, made up of ministries of Health, Social Development, Education, Government, Public Safety, Labor and Labor Development, and Economy and Finance.

The Commission, the Social Security Fund, the Council of Rectors of Panama, the Institute of Mental Health, the National Association of Psychologists, the Ombudsman's Office, the National Association of Nurses, the Panamanian Society of Psychiatry, non-governmental organizations in the field are also integrated. of prevention of suicidal behaviors and the organized group of users of Health services.

More than 40 thousand consultations for psychological support have been offered through lines 169 and 523-6800. Juana Herrera, director of the Institute of Mental Health, said that “when there is a constant thought of suicide, of not continuing to live, I have problems, why continue living, they are signals that the individual sends, he begins to apologize, not to bother him , who does not want to be a burden and the individual begins to isolate himself or give his things away, you should not be critical but empathic, tell them you are not alone, I want to help you ”.