‘0.1 million cases of self-harm surface every year’

Ziauddin hospital hosts awareness seminar on World Suicide Prevention Day

Around 0.1 million acts of self-harm are reported in Pakistan annually, this was revealed during an awareness seminar on World Suicide Prevention Day, which is held on September 10 every year.

The event was jointly organised by Dr Ziauddin Hospital and Pakistan Institute of Learning and Living (Pill). Prof Imran Chaudhry and Prof Haider Naqvi, consultant psychiatrists at Dr Ziauddin Hospital, and the Pill director spoke on the occasion.



The programme started with a role play, presented by members of Pill, about a girl who feels pressurised as even after three years of marriage she is unable to bear a child. She is continuously criticised by her mother-in-law and husband.

Chaudhry talked about the facts relating to self-harm and suicide both in developing and developed countries. He also mentioned the lethality of different self-harm methods commonly used in Pakistan.

Suicide is the 15th leading cause of death and it accounts for 1.4% of the worldwide deaths. According to the World Health Organization and other independent reports, there are more than 20 people who attempt suicide every day around the world.



The risk of repeated suicide attempt or death by suicide is 100 times higher in people who have committed suicide before, the speakers pointed out.

The role of nurses and medical doctors to provide basic psychological help for crisis management of patients also came under discussion.

It was emphasised that all nursing staff and medical doctors should get training in psychological first aid.

The seminar was attended by nurses, doctors, students and other health professionals, as they are the first point of contact for patients of self-harm.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2016.