Sumithrayo marks World Suicide Prevention day on Sept. 10

In support of World Suicide Prevention Day, Sunday, September 10, 2023, Sri Lanka’s foremost suicide prevention group, Sumithrayo has urged everyone to join hands in lighting a candle at 8 pm, in remembering a lost loved one and the survivors of suicide.

“By encouraging understanding, reaching in and sharing experiences, we want to give people the confidence to take action. To prevent suicide requires us to become a beacon of light to those in pain,” it said in a statement.

Suicide is a major public health problem with far-reaching social, emotional and economic consequences. It is estimated that there are currently more than 700 000 suicides per year worldwide, and we know that each suicide profoundly affects many more people.

“Creating Hope Through Action” is the triennial theme for the World Suicide Prevention Day from 2021-2023. This theme serves as a powerful call to action and reminder that there is an alternative to suicide and that through “our actions we can encourage hope” and strengthen prevention, the statement said.

World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO). The 10 September each year aims to focus attention on the issue, reduces stigma and raises awareness among organizations, governments, and the public, giving a singular message that suicides are preventable.

Suicide occurs in all regions of the world. In fact, 77% of global suicides happen in low- and middle-income countries where most of the world’s population live.  More than half of global suicides (58%) occurred before the age of 50 years.

According to World Population Review website Sri Lanka is also in a leading position in the country list, being the 29th rank according to suicides,  and suicide rate is 14.6 suicides per 100 000 in 2019. Suicide incidence was 6.9 in 1995 and increased up to 18.9 in 2011 per 100,000 population in Sri Lanka (Warushahennadi, 2017).