Africa-Press – Angola. More than 3,000 suicide attempts were recorded by the Luanda Provincial Health Office during the first half of 2025, involving adults aged 24 to 45, announced Sebastião Kinguati André, the local mental health program supervisor, on Wednesday.
Speaking at the second Provincial Conference on World Suicide Prevention Day, held under the motto “Hear Others, Save Lives,” André revealed that women accounted for 69 percent of suicide attempts, with the most affected municipalities being Kilamba Kiaxi, Camama, and Kilamba.
During that period, 26,000 patients were treated: 12,000 for neurotic disorders secondary to stress; 3,000 for mood disorders; and 2,000 for somatic disorders. This exceeds the 10,000 patients treated during the same period in 2024.
André warned of signs that precede suicide, such as isolation and phrases like “I’m tired of living,” “One of these days I’m going to disappear,” and “Life no longer makes sense.”
Andre reported that the mental health program operates in municipal offices, hospitals, and health centers in 16 municipalities in the capital. The program has been supported by 300 technicians, including 230 specialists in psychiatry, clinical psychology, defectology, and social work, as well as 70 volunteer interns and a core group of partners working in private clinics.
The health official stated that the meeting’s purpose is to raise awareness of suicide warning signs and to invite experts to develop prevention and postvention strategies to minimize these significant numbers.
Luanda’s health director, Manuel Duarte Varela, said in his opening remarks that suicide is a phenomenon that has accompanied humanity since its beginning. He said it is essential to understand suicide from historical and global perspectives because it is one of the most complex and urgent public health issues.
According to him, the activity aims to mobilize partners nationwide for suicide prevention and control. The provincial campaign, “If You Need Help,” is dedicated to training and informing people about suicide, which is typically caused by depression.
He said that the launch of the “Yellow September” campaign is a unique initiative that aims to raise awareness about suicide prevention and alert the population to the reality of suicide in Angola and around the world. He believes that constant dialogue and discussions that address the issue are the best way to prevent suicide.
At the II Conference, participants spoke during a roundtable discussion about “Suicide Prevention, Post-Prevention, and Intervention in School and Hospital Settings,” “Strategies to Minimize Emotional Impacts and Prevent the Emergence of New Cases,” and “Mental Health in Luanda and the Accessibility of Mental Health Services in the Capital.”
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