On October 6, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a campaign to raise awareness and encourage suicide prevention. Africa is home to six of the ten countries with the highest suicide rates in the world.

Africa has the highest suicide death rate in the world. This continent is home to six of the ten countries with the highest suicide rates in the world; about 11 of every 100,000 people take their own lives, a rate that is higher than the world average of nine cases of suicide per 100,000 inhabitants.

“Suicide is a major public health problem and every suicide is a tragedy. Unfortunately, suicide prevention is rarely a priority in national health programs.”Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

According to the WHO, mental disorders currently affect 116 million people in Africa, compared to 53 million in 1990. More broadly, mental health problems represent up to 11% of risk factors associated with suicide. It is in this context that the UN health agency launched on October 6, 2022 a campaign to raise awareness and encourage suicide prevention in Africa. This is to raise awareness among the general public on how to identify and help those in need and to contribute to the fight against the stigma associated with suicide, epilepsy, mental disorders and alcohol or drug abuse.

On average, African governments allocate less than 50 cents per capita to mental health; under-investment which is the main obstacle to the provision of mental health services. As a result, the campaign is also an opportunity to draw the attention of African countries to the need to increase investment. Fortunately in August 2022, African Ministers of Health meeting within the framework of the seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, approved a new strategy aimed at strengthening mental health care and setting targets for 2030. By this deadline, all countries must have a mental health policy or legislation, 60% of countries will have to implement this policy. In addition, 95% of countries will be required to track and report on key mental health indicators, and 80% of countries will be required to have budgeted for mental health services.

It should be noted that among the means most used by people who commit suicide in Africa, we can allude to poisoning by pesticides, drowning, hanging, the use of a firearm and overdose of drugs.