By TIOL News Services

NEW DELHI, SEPT 22, 2014: UNION Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, has expressed grief over the national loss in valuable human resources which is owed to the rising tendency of young people to commit suicide when facing seemingly unconquerable adversity.

Inaugurating a mass contact programme in Thrissur, Kerala, today to conscientise the general public about the increasing rate of suicides, Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “The mounting incidence of suicide has become a public health issue of global importance as brought out by the World Health Organisation in a recent report. The government will adopt a strategy on suicide prevention which will stress on counselling and wider spread of treatment centres for depression.”

A cycle rally is on in Kerala since September 11 with the purpose of generating mass awareness on suicides, drug abuse, alcoholism, violence and other social problems. The campaign is led by a Catholic priest, Father Davis Chiramel, and is named “Ma Nishada” after the first shloka in the Ramayana. Others present on the occasion included Justice (retired) Mr Cyriac Joseph, Member of National Human Rights Commission, and Mr C.N. Jayadevan, the MP of Thrissur.

Though India's suicide rate is the 12th highest in the world, the country is unfortunately home to the highest number of suicides among people in the 15-29 age group –35.5 in 100,000 people.

“This is no age to die. These are people who could contribute a lot to nation building because a great number of them are well educated. They took the extreme step out of depression forced on them by some form of disillusionment. With timely counselling they could have been saved,” the Minister said.

He pointed out that between 1.5 and 2 million people commit suicide in India annually. For every suicide committed successfully, a minimum of 15-20 people fail. Besides, not all suicides are reported to the police because of the stigma attached.

“Medical students, management students, engineering students, young professionals and even government officials are committing suicides in large numbers. This has serious implications for the future,” the Minister said.

He urged the parents of young children to instil in their progeny values of patience and magnanimity. He counselled, “Do not pressure them to achieve impossible goals. Love them for what they are instead of taunting them for not living up to your ideal. That way they will never even think of committing suicide.”

It is significant that the highest number of suicides is reported from states with a high literacy level. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Karnataka report more than 53 percent of the national total.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said that as part of a move to experiment with suicide prevention strategies, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore has initiated a public outreach programme to spread awareness on suicides and prevent people from taking the extreme step when they manifest early signs of a suicidal streak. Already 28 countries round the world undertake such programmes.