Tamale Mental Health Groups Campaign Against Suicide
Yonkodo, a mental-wellbeing NGO has in partnered with Yasmeen Mental Oasis and the Suicide Prevention Foundation, with support from the Triple S Foundation, to undertake a suicide awareness campaign in Tamale.
The campaign, held as part of activities to commemorate Suicide Prevention Month, took place at the Tamale Taxi Rank and the Tamale Central Market, where staff and volunteers engaged traders and members of the public on mental health conditions, suicide prevention and the need to seek professional help.
A 2023 Ghana STEPS Survey found that 3.8 percent of adults aged 18 to 69 had considered attempting suicide in the previous 12 months, with the figure higher among women at 4.6 percent compared with 3.1 percent among men.
The survey also found that only 9.1 percent of people who had considered suicide sought professional help, highlighting concerns about help-seeking and access to mental health support.
The campaigners while walking the Tamale Central Market carried placards with messages including “You Are Never Alone in Your Struggle,” “You Don’t Have to Suffer in Silence,” “There Is Still Hope Beyond Today,” and “Our Presence on This Earth Matters.”
Other placards highlighted statistics from the Ghana STEPS Survey to draw attention to suicide and the need for professional support.
Founder of Yasmeen Mental Oasis, Yasmeen Abdalla, a suicide attempt survivor, said the organisation partnered with Yonkodo to undertake the campaign due to the worrying number of suicide cases recorded across the country.
She encouraged people experiencing emotional distress to speak out and seek professional help instead of suffering in silence.
Yasmeen Abdalla also called for greater acceptance of suicide attempt survivors, saying they should not be subjected to stigma and discrimination but rather supported to recover and reintegrate into society.
Jakom N-Nankola of the Suicide Prevention Foundation said the organisation joined the campaign because of the increasing cases of suicide and the need to educate the public on how to identify and respond to suicidal tendencies.He said people need adequate information to understand what to do when they or their loved ones experience suicidal thoughts, stressing the importance of seeking professional help.
Founder of the Triple S Foundation, Salifu Salamatu Salpawuni, said her organisation supported the campaign by providing free screening for hepatitis B, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
She explained that the health conditions targeted by the screening could have long-term effects on the overall wellbeing of individuals and urged the public to take their physical and mental health seriously.
She further encouraged people facing mental health challenges to speak out and seek professional support, saying early intervention could help prevent suicide and save lives.
Credit: Iddrisu Kumbundoo
