Suicide Can Be Prevented, DOH-1 Officials Say

Suicide can be prevented. This was the central message that health experts from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 1 want to put across and be relayed to the public.

Statistics on depression and suicide

In a special episode of Kapihan sa Ilocos of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here on Monday, Dr. Herminigilda Salangad, medical officer IV of the DOH-1, said suicide could be a result of mental health problems such as depression.

“Depression is the most common health problem worldwide. In 2015, there were some 300 million people suffering from it,” said Salangad.

In the Philippines, 3.3 million Filipinos or 3.3 percent of the total population in 2012 suffered from depressive disorders.

The medical doctor said the worst consequence of depression is suicide.

“People who cannot handle it end up in committing suicide. Every year, close to 800,000 people take their own life all over the world,” Salangad said.

In Region 1, statistics from the health department shows that from January to August 2018, there have been 108 reported suicide cases. Of which, 92 individuals or 85 percent were males and 16 (15 percent) were females.

Per province, Ilocos Norte had the highest with 31 cases followed by Pangasinan with 27 cases, and La Union with 16. Ilocos Sur had the lowest number of cases with 15.

“The youngest suicide victim in the region was 14 years old while the oldest was 93 years old, and hanging is the most common method of suicide,” Salangad said.

Mental health program in Region 1

To address the limited number of psychiatrists in the country, Salangad said the DOH has been capacitating municipal health officers in rural health units (RHUs).

In the region, she said their department has started to capacitate the medical practitioners in the grassroots.

“We have started teaching them on how to handle mental conditions that can be treated at their level. Worse cases, however, are still referred to tertiary level hospitals,” said Salangad.

Grade 11 and 12 students in the region are also introduced to discussions on depression and suicide in various fora organized by the DOH Region 1.

Further, for the upcoming observation of Mental Health Month in October, the department will conduct a Mental Health Fair.

Free medicines are also given to patients diagnosed to have mental illness.

Working together vs mental health disorders

Meanwhile, Dr. Magnolia Brabante, medical officer III of DOH-1, encourages everyone to help people who show signs of mental health disorder.

“Let us work together to fight the stigma against mental health,” Brabante said.

She added, “We hope that people will open their minds and hearts to the plight of patients suffering from mental health.”

Mental health disorders, she said, can be associated with the following: persistent sadness, loss of interest, change of appetite, low self-esteem, intermittent sleeping pattern, and poor concentration.

“If we know some of our family members, friends, or colleagues who might be battling with mental health illness particularly depression, let us have the compassion to talk to them and encourage them to seek professional help,” said Brabante. (JNPD/PIA-1)