By Samira Larbie
Accra, Sept. 14, GNA – The Mental Health Authority (MHA) has called for stronger suicide prevention measures, urging a shift from stigma and punishment to early intervention, treatment and support.
Dr Eugene Dordoye, Chief Executive of the MHA, said suicidal behaviour should be treated as a public health concern rather than a crime, with people experiencing suicidal thoughts given immediate professional care.
He made the call at the launch of the Suicide Situational Report for Ghana and commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day.
Dr Dordoye said although Ghana had decriminalised attempted suicide in 2023, stigma continued to discourage some people from seeking help and accessing appropriate mental health services.
He said people who had survived suicide attempts should not face arrest or further punishment when they disclosed their experiences publicly.
“If you just say on radio that you have attempted suicide before, police could just arrest you,” he said, noting that some people had previously been jailed in Ghana for attempting suicide.
Dr Dordoye said suicide prevention required a health system focused on identifying people at risk, providing timely treatment and connecting them to appropriate community-based services.
Using an Akan metaphor about people drowning downstream, he said society should first rescue people in danger before seeking to understand how they got into that situation.
“When you see people being drowned, you don’t ask questions how they got in,” he said, adding that the same principle should guide responses to suicidal behaviour.
Dr Dordoye said some people had been discouraged from seeking mental health care after religious leaders described suicidal thoughts as sinful or the result of demonic attacks.
“We don’t do that to somebody who is suicidal. We save them when they are suicidal,” he said.
Dr Dordoye called for stronger collaboration among health professionals, families, communities, religious institutions and the media to identify people at risk and link them to appropriate care.
He also urged the media to adopt responsible reporting practices that protected vulnerable people and avoided reinforcing stigma or causing further harm.
Dr Dordoye said suicidal behaviour could be an indication of psychological distress requiring treatment and support rather than evidence of criminal intent.
“Suicidal behaviour is not shameful, and suicidal behaviour can be treated, can be managed, and death by suicide can be prevented,” he said.
Dr Dordoye urged people experiencing suicidal thoughts or severe emotional distress to speak to someone they trusted and seek professional help.
He said the national mental health helpline, 0800 678 678, was available to connect people experiencing suicidal thoughts with appropriate mental health care within their communities.
Dr Dordoye said mental health care extended beyond psychiatric hospitals and included psychologists, social workers, community-based services and other professionals who could provide comprehensive support.
Dr Fiona Braka, Country Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), commended the Government and Parliament for decriminalising attempted suicide in March 2023.
She said the reform represented a shift from punishment to care and compassion and recognised suicide and suicidal behaviour as public and mental health concerns requiring support, treatment and protection of human dignity.
Dr Braka said suicide remained a major global public health challenge, claiming more than 720,000 lives annually and ranking among the leading causes of death among young people.
She said findings from the 2023 Ghana STEPS Survey showed that 3.8 per cent of adults had considered suicide, while 2.3 per cent reported having attempted suicide.
Dr Braka noted that suicidal thoughts were more common among young people, underscoring the need for targeted prevention interventions for vulnerable groups.
She said the theme for the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide: Start the Conversation,” sought to encourage open discussion about suicide and mental health.
It also pressed stakeholders to address stigma, dispel harmful myths and create safe environments where people could discuss their struggles without fear of judgement or discrimination.
Dr Braka said WHO, through its Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), had supported the training of more than 800 health workers across all 16 regions in suicide prevention, identification, assessment and management of people at risk.
She said the training was helping to improve access to mental health services at community and primary healthcare levels.
Dr Braka said WHO was also supporting Ghana through the LIVE LIFE approach to expand evidence-based suicide prevention interventions, strengthen responsible media reporting, improve surveillance and data systems, reduce stigma and increase access to mental health and psychosocial support.
She called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, communities, health professionals, civil society organisations, the media, families and individuals to prevent suicide.
“This year’s theme challenges us to move beyond silence, fear, and misunderstanding towards openness, hope, empathy, and support,” she said.
Dr Brakasaid 2026 marked the third and final year of the World Suicide Prevention Day triennial theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” with the call to action, “Start the Conversation.”
She reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health, MHA and other stakeholders to implement recommendations contained in the Suicide Situational Report.
Dr Braka said sustained investment in mental health services, compassionate conversations and evidence-based interventions could help build resilient communities and prevent avoidable deaths.
The launch brought together stakeholders from government, health institutions, civil society, the media and other sectors to examine Ghana’s suicide situation and strengthen prevention efforts.
World Suicide Prevention Day is observed annually on September 10 to raise awareness and promote global action to prevent suicide.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Samira Larbie