A concerning 40% increase in suicide-related deaths in 2024 was reported by the Mental Health Authority (MHA), leading to increased calls for immediate action to address the escalating public health crisis..
Speaking at the commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day 2025 in Accra, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, under the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide after Decriminalisation,” Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Dr. Eugene Dordoye, disclosed that most of the cases were recorded among young people.
“The reported lives lost in 2023 were about 134. But we know that for every life lost, three to five times more people attempt. And for every attempt, up to 10 people are affected by it,” Dr. Dordoye noted.
He cautioned that, as the bulk of suicide victims are young individuals who have the most potential to boost Ghana’s GDP, the growing trend presents both an economic and public health risk.
Dr. Dordoye went on to say that there is evidence of a genuine rise in suicide fatalities, even though the jump may be partially attributed to better reporting and greater awareness.
“Unfortunately, we experienced up to a 40% increase in 2024, and the concern here is whether it could be the increase in awareness or reportage. We don’t have all the answers, but what we know is that we need to do more. We cannot afford to lose Ghanaians through a preventable cause of death,” he stressed.
In order to lessen stigma and promote early help-seeking behaviour, he also urged for more robust policy interventions, increased funding for mental health services, and increased community-level awareness initiatives.
Students, survivors, civil society organisations, and mental health experts came together for the remembrance and vowed to support national activism to stop Ghana’s escalating suicide rate.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
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