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Dids, I think that they lack personnel to handle this type of situation. Those kids were lucky to have someone realize what was happening

Misinformation on suicide continues to be peddled

 

Dear Editor,

Given the plethora of information and research on suicide made publicly available over the last two years, it is quite an enigma that misinformation continues to be peddled from the top of the socio-political structure. The latest such tidbit is that suicide happens because of unhappiness. This kind of blasé approach trivialising a national crisis is both distressing and frustrating and reinforces the ‘blame the victim’ syndrome. In Guyana, the known risk factors for suicide include:

• Sexually transmitted disease
• Abuse (domestic, sexual, physical and mental)
• Teen pregnancy, incest, rape
• Relationships: dysfunctional, triangular, teenager, separation, break-ups
• Alcoholism and drug abuse
• The societal response to alternative sexual lifestyles – gays and lesbians
• Problems that seem insurmountable – poverty, unemployment, handicaps, losses
• Poor socialization and coping skills that lead to helplessness and hopelessness
• A suicide contagion driven by the Werther Effect (copycatting),the Bollywood Effect (the ‘glorification’ of suicide in Bollywood movies and soaps) and a sort of socio-cultural acceptance/internalization that suicide is an answer to life’s problems.

Perhaps most importantly, it is globally known that about 90% of people who commit suicide have some sort of psychiatric disorder and that depression is more often than not, the straw that breaks the camel back. Yet, as US writer and social activist, Gabe Howard, puts it, “The reality is that people who are contemplating suicide aren’t looking for reasons to die, they are looking for a way to make the pain stop.”

However, it is a proven fact that suicide is eminently preventable. And a critical step towards preventing suicide is indeed a national conversation that must:

• Educate and inform the public about the facts so as to dispel myths and misinformation
• Involve all stakeholders, but especially the media and the relevant government ministries and agencies
• Harness community based entities such as sports, drama, youth, women and cultural clubs and mass based organizations such as political parties and religious and educational institutions
• Be concerted and collaborative so as to avoid duplication, ensure a national reach and be premised on commonly accepted strategies and endeavors. Thus inclusion of NGOs that have been working on the ground becomes critical
• Be mapped to ensure consistency, follow-up, feedback and adjustments as needed.

This national conversation must be supplemented by a set of other measures, which have been discussed in the public domain for a while and even ventilated by various government ministers and other spokespersons. So again The Caribbean Voice (TCV) urges that:

• The Ministry of Education should identify all teachers who possess some level of social work or mental health training and utilize them as an interim measure. A refresher crash course may become necessary for those so identified or perhaps in-service training re a diploma in counselling. Also while we understand that the government may not be able to afford counsellors in every school, a counsellor per district is perhaps practical. And this person can work in collaboration with trained teachers in each school.
• Every community needs trained eyes and ears for proactive action and the Gatekeepers’ Programme is the best vehicle to bring about this reality.
• There have been numerous measures bandied about to address pesticide suicide but no concerted plan of action has been indicated. TCV has offered the Sri Lankan Model of Hazard Reduction, which has a tremendous track record of reducing pesticide suicide but there are also a number of other relatively successful models used in Japan, Brazil, Western Samoa, New Zealand and these too can be considered.

Alternatively planned Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) training of Guyanese on how to treat persons who ingest pesticides, should ensure that there are enough trained personnel to be deployed nationwide, that they be adequately provided with antidotes, and that their duties include implementing steps to ensure secure storage and use of pesticides and disposal of containers, as well as ensure that only those who need such chemicals are enabled to purchase them.

TCV has been reaching out to media with a bit of success but it is so important that all media start publicizing the suicide hotlines and offering suicide prevention messages. TCV has messages already crafted/produced and have already offered them to some media. Meanwhile we urge the media to be more empathetic and considerate of loved ones of suicide victims and completely cease publishing suicide victims’ photos. We also remind counsellors and related personnel to always ensure that confidentiality remains the central tenet of their practice. This point is made not because there is any doubt about confidentiality, but because TCV has been informed by a number of different sources that some are hesitant to seek the help of counsellors because confidentiality is breached. We would like to believe that this is just a rumour but given its existence, reinforcing confidentiality becomes absolutely necessary.

Yours faithfully,

Annan Boodram

 

http://www.stabroeknews.com/20...inues-to-be-peddled/

Another lie by the ASS wipe Guyana Times exposed.

 

Seven students at the Bartica Secondary did not attempt suicide, according to Minister of Health Dr. George Norton, who has labelled as “malicious” a report in the Guyana Times yesterday making the claim.

“I wish to categorically dismiss the headline carried by Guyana Times. I believe the Times owes an apology to the students of Bartica Secondary and the whole of Region Seven for carrying such a malicious statement,” Norton said.

http://www.stabroeknews.com/20...s-at-bartica-school/

 

Quote "November 12, 2015, the Public Health Minister admitted that a female student broke a plate and swallowed the splinters in an effort to kill herself recently.

 

Quote " According to Dr Norton, one of the “diligent doctors” at the hospital decided to do more research on attempted suicide cases and found that several other students had made attempts to kill themselves in the past.

 

Seems like Dr Norton now wake up, Guyana Times should have been congratulated for taking up the problems and bring it to the fore.

Student swallowed shards of broken plate

Granger, Moses and Ramjattan are causing children to commit suicide in groups. There is nothing left to live for.

I raised this many times.  It's just one of the triggers but growing up watching these movies no doubt play out in real life.  The other was drunkenness which was what guys did to distance themselves from an issue.  And drunkenness and suicide are big among Indian Hindus.

Why don't you place your head in a toilet after someone has left a present in it for you. Stick your head into the bowl with mouth open and flush.

Might do some good.

Any update on these poor children? This is heartbroken to learn that a group of school children wanted to commit suicide. Since the government made the announcement the task of dealing with the epidemic is too difficult, I assumed the younger folks feel hopeless.

The APNU/AFC coalition should be held accountable for this breakdown in the social fabric of the Guyanese society. When in a mere 6 months the young have lost hope in this new government and decide to take their lives, this is a clear indication that the wrong people are in office.