Committee formed over Chitral suicides in K-P

Number of suicides has risen to 8 reported cases in August and about 40 so far in 2018

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (K-P) health directorate on Tuesday addressed the rising number of suicide cases in Chitral district by forming a committee to investigate the matter.

Chitral has had a high suicide rate in recent times, especially in young women and the number has risen to eight reported cases in August and about 40 so far in 2018. Provincial Director General for health issued an order forming the team to look into the reasons behind increasing cases of suicides and provide psychotherapy services to those who are at risk.

A copy of the order available with the Express Tribune read, “Consequent upon several suicidal cases in district Chitral, the following committee… is hereby constituted to see the main factors involved and psychotherapy of other with the tendency of suicidal attempts.”



Director of Administration for District Health Information System (DHIS), Dr Azmatullah will chair the committee comprising a health officer from the district two deputy directors of the psycho-social program from the Directorate General of Health Services in Peshawar.

Many of the recent suicides have been of students after receiving their intermediate exam results and family members blame poor academic performance for their deaths. However, not a single psychiatrist is available across Chitral district.

“Not even a single psychiatrist is available at government health facilities and, yes, there is one at Agha Khan Hospital but that is private health facility,” a health official from Chitral told the Express Tribune. He said the district health offices had repeatedly informed officials in Peshawar of the dire need for psychiatrists.



“I don’t think there is any health issue, rather social ones since many cases we have observed were either related to education or domestic problems and this is the reason why we have added an expert on the psycho-social program,” said K-P Director General Health Services Dr Ayub Ros.

He confirmed that eight cases were reported in August 2018 and almost all were between 15 to 30 years of age and added that the team will collect details on the circumstances that led people to consider suicide their last option.