World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD)
World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is commemorated globally on 10 September. The overall goal of this day is to raise awareness about suicide prevention worldwide which is now the second leading cause of death for people between the age of 15 and 29 years globally. According to the latest WHO data published in 2020 Suicide Deaths in South Sudan reached 425 or 0.51% of total deaths per annum. The age-adjusted Death Rate at 6.69 per 100,000 of the population ranks South Sudan 120th in the world. In South Sudan, suicide particularly affects internally displaced persons (IDPs) residing in the protection of civilians (PoCs) sites due to factors inherent to confinement, limited possibilities for income generation, idleness, substance abuse, criminality, armed conflict, and gender-based violence.
The theme for WSPD 2022, “Creating hope through action,” reflects the need for collective, action to address this urgent public health issue. This includes family members, friends, co-workers, community members, educators, religious leaders, healthcare professionals, political officials and governments- taking action to prevent suicide in the region.
Objectives include promoting stakeholder collaboration and self-empowerment to address self-harm and suicide through preventative action. These can be achieved through capacity building of healthcare providers and other relevant actors, positive and informative messaging aimed at the general population and at-risk groups such as young people and facilitating an open discussion on mental health in the community, at health facilities home and workplace
How is HPF supporting mental health?
HPF’s strategy aims to build both mental health awareness in the community, and mental health capacity in the public health system. In keeping with the community-anchored approach adopted by the Ministry of Health in the Boma Health Initiative, the emphasis is on services within the community and at the PHCU level. The strategy also seeks to leverage facilitators of good quality service, this includes partnerships, existing MHPSS tools and guidelines, and community coping mechanisms. The strategy, therefore, aims to leverage these facilitators by strengthening partnerships with informal and formal health service providers, using existing MHPSS tools, manuals, and guidelines, and working in a participatory manner with communities to identify and support them.
HPF also adapted the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) training manual to build the capacity of general physicians, nurses, midwives, and clinical officers, as well as physicians specialising in areas other than psychiatry or neurology.
HPF has supported a total of 617/797 health facilities with training staff to identify, assess, and manage mental, neurological and substance use conditions.