The Mental Health Authority (MHA) has reported that the number of individuals deliberately taking their lives increased significantly in 2024.
Speaking at the commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day 2025 in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Dr. Eugene Dordoye, revealed a 40% rise in suicide deaths during this period.
According to him, about three hundred and thirty-four (134) suicide deaths were recorded in the previous year, adding that there are three to five individuals who attempt suicide but survive.
“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. 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,” he stressed.
He called for urgent interventions to tackle the growing public health crisis, emphasising that, “ 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”.
With the amendments to Section 57 of the Criminal Offences Act (1960) (Act 29) and Section 95 of the Mental Health Act (2012) (Act 846), persons who attempt suicide are no longer subject to legal prosecution or conviction.
Those who attempt suicide are now viewed as requiring medical and psychological intervention rather than legal punishment.
Suicide cases have seen a surge in recent years.
The Mental Health Authority (MHA) recorded 81 suicide cases and 543 attempts in the first half of 2024. This was against 48 suicide cases and 594 attempts recorded in the corresponding period in 2023.
The Greater Accra Region is said to have recorded the highest number of deaths. The Eastern and Central Regions also recorded a significant number of cases.
The youth are those most affected by suicide, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 29.
The factors responsible for suicide are said to be numerous, but most cases hover around financial and psychological challenges, emotional difficulties, and security concerns.
The Mental Health Authority called for nationwide education and awareness campaigns. The Authority noted the need for interpersonal skills and restricting access to the methods to commit suicide.
In February this year, residents of Abuesi, located in the Shama District of the Western Region, could not comprehend the suspected suicide of 14-year-old John Yawson, who was found hanging in his father’s incomplete structure.
The fifth-grade student at Alliance International School, a day before the unfortunate incident, is said to have been denied food by his mother.
In April, a Level 100 student at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) reportedly died by suicide, with social media reports suggesting the incident was linked to a relationship issue.
Renowned Ghanaian playwright, James Ebo Whyte, has revealed how his stage productions managed to save the lives of two individuals who had contemplated suicide.
During an interview on JoyPrime TV in May, he noted these individuals from Takoradi and Accra shared this information with him after patronizing a stage production he had overseen. He revealed that one of the individuals was deserted by his wife after losing his job.
“I personally know two cases of people who came to our productions with the intent to commit suicide that day. One in Takoradi and the other in Accra. The one in Takoradi had lost his job, been thrown out of his house, his wife had left him, and he felt there’s nothing else to live for. So, he had actually gone to buy the poison that he was going to take on a Saturday night,” Ebo Whyte recounted.
“He said, halfway through the show, ‘I told myself, if I can still laugh, then it’s not over yet.’ That’s beautiful. There is something to live for,” he narrated.
This revelation reflects the profound impact of the arts in dealing with mental health issues.
Suicide is a matter of grave concern globally and not just in Ghana. Reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal 727,000 individuals commit suicide, with many more making attempts.
In 2021, suicide was the third leading cause of death among individuals between ages of 15 and 29.
“Suicide does not just occur in high-income countries but is a global phenomenon in all regions of the world. In fact, close to three quarters (73%) of global suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2021.”
“Suicide is a serious public health problem that requires a public health response. With timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions, suicides can be prevented. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed,” the WHO reported.
In high-income countries there is a positive correlation between suicide and mental disorders such as depression and alcohol use disorders. The WHO, however, noted that “many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship disputes, or chronic pain and illness.”
“Suicide rates are also high among vulnerable groups who experience discrimination, such as refugees and migrants; indigenous peoples; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) persons; and prisoners,” the WHO added.
The World Health Organization cites the lack of awareness of suicide and the taboo in many societies to openly discuss it as some of the many challenges fostering suicide cases.
According to the WHO, the availability and quality of data on suicide and self-harm is nothing to write home about.
“Only some 80 WHO Member States have good-quality vital registration data that can be used directly to estimate suicide rates. This problem of poor-quality mortality data is not unique to suicide, but given the stigma surrounding suicide – and the illegality of suicidal behaviour in some countries – it is likely that under-reporting and misclassification are greater problems for suicide than for most other causes of death,” it added.
In 2021, the World Health Organization launched LIVE LIFE: an implementation guide for suicide prevention in countries.
Also, the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), provides “evidence-based technical guidance to scale up service provision and care in countries for mental, neurological and substance use disorders.”
