More Than 2,000 Commit Suicide Yearly

PETALING JAYA, 12 Sept (Bernama ) -- An average of seven Malaysians commit suicide daily and the total number of such deaths exceed 2,000 a year, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
He attributed suicides to many causes, among them poverty, loss of loved ones, breakdown in relationship like divorce, drug abuse, academic failure and family history.
A survey by the Kuala Lumpur Hospital found that suicide was more prevalent among the Indian community with a ratio of 21.1 for every 100,000 population, followed by Chinese (8.6:100,000) and Malays (2.6:100,000), he said in a speech at the launch of the World Suicide Prevention Day 2005 in Subang Jaya, here Monday.
The text of speech was read by Deputy Health Director-General (Public Health) Datuk Dr Shafie Ooyub.
Dr Chua said suicide involving the Malays had increased by two-fold since the 1990s and he attributed this trend to the rural-urban migration among the Malays and their inability to cope with the pressure of living in a metropolitan city.
He said the most common forms of suicide in the country were poisoning with pesticide, hanging, jumping from buildings and carbon monoxide poisoning from exhaust fumes of vehicles.
Dr Chua sought the cooperation of the media not to report extensively on the method used by suicide victims.
"The way the suicide cases are reported can influence the readers," he said.
He said there were guidelines for media reporting on suicide, adding that they were prepared with the cooperation of the local media, Health Ministry, International Association for Suicide Prevention, The Befrienders and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Dr Chua said efforts taken by the ministry to prevent suicide included providing 27 hospitals nationwide with psychiatric service to deal with suicidal patients and those facing depression.
There are 85 psychiatrists, two clinical psychologists and 56 counsellors in these hospitals.
Besides the hospitals, there are 754 health clinics in the country where people experiencing mental problems or depression could go to seek treatment.
Dr Chua said 40 doctors and 135 medical assistants were sent for training on how to deal with depression last year and another 200 would be trained this year.
He said those sent for training this year included counsellors from the Education Ministry, National Population and Family Development Board and Public Services Department.
The training was to raise their awareness, knowledge and skill in counselling and to give emotional support to those suffering from depression and other emotional problems.