Lukman Olabiyi
A non-governmental organisation initiative, Suicide Is No Solution (SINS) has commenced an anti suicide campaign comprising series of advocacy, interactive events and counselling support to checkmate the increasing rate of deaths by suicide amongst Nigerians.
In achieving its aim, the group would also be providing professional support to would be victims with a view to dissuading them from committing suicide.
The group also said that a team of mental health practitioners, religious leaders, social workers and volunteers, have joined hands to support the cause in order to achieve its objective.
The Project Lead of SINS, Mrs. Idy Toye – Arulogun stated that SINS is a coordinated response to the increase in the rate of deaths by suicide in Nigeria, pointing out that the key task of the SINS campaign is the significant reduction in the rate of deaths by suicide in Nigeria through a strong public enlightenment and advocacy campaign that dissuade people from killing themselves. Taye-arulogun noted that with one person in the world dying by suicide every forty seconds and Nigeria’s the 15th position in the world suicide ranking, there is a strong need to intensify the campaign against suicide especially giving the psychological effects of the Covid – 19 global pandemic.
Toye-Arulogun revealed that the SINS campaign encompasses multi media communication messages for exposure in both traditional and new media platforms, a helpline and a back end professional counselling support structure to engage members of the public going through distress and depression.