Women in distress : 550 women attempt suicide a year: PIMS

Doctors warn that bathroom cleaner consumption becoming somewhat of a trend

ISLAMABAD: Growing pressures and easy access to harmful substances have been contributing to a high rate of suicide attempts among women with as many as 550 women treated in a year at the largest tertiary care hospital in the capital.

This was disclosed by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) which released data about women suicides on Wednesday in conjunction with International Women’s Day.

The data shows that despite the large rate of suicide attempts, only one percent of these attempts prove fatal.

Pims said that of the female patients of all ages were brought to its emergency wards from the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, their adjoining areas and Azad Jammu Kashmir. These patients included students, working women and even those married who had attempted suicide.

Officials said that suicides had been attempted due to a host of reasons including emotional distress, financial problems, domestic disputes and others.

Pims said that one of the most common methods for suicide which they had spotted included the consumption of corrosive elements such as the commonly available and accessible bathroom cleaner.

Doctors said that bathroom cleaners can damage the oesophagus (food pipe) and stomach.

These patients were treated at the emergency, medical and gastro departments of the hospital. Officials said they used endoscopy to detect lesions created by the corrosive liquids. Patients who had suffered massive damage to their stomach and food pipes were referred for surgery.

Asked about the prevalence of such substances in suicides, officials said while they do receive male patients who have consumed the corrosive liquid, women make up to 90 per cent of such patients. Doctors explained that bathroom cleaners are the cheapest and the most easily accessible option to commit suicide.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2018.