Africa-Press – Cape verde. The president of PAICV Youth, Fidel Cardoso de Pina, today urged the Government to address the issue of suicide with “seriousness and urgency” as he considers the cases that have occurred in Cape Verde in recent years to be “alarming”.
In a press conference held this morning at the headquarters of the African Independence Party of Cape Verde (PAICV – opposition), Fidel de Pina presented data indicating that the country was faced with, on average, one suicide per week, which resulted in around almost 50 deaths per year, with the “overwhelming majority” of cases occurring in men.
“According to reports, 1.7% of the Cape Verdean adult population has already attempted suicide and 3.3% of the population seriously considered committing suicide in the last year, according to data from the second National Survey on disease risk factors non-communicable diseases, with a focus on Mental Health”, he said.
Also according to the president of JPAI, available data confirms that the country recorded 49 suicides in 2017 and 55 in 2018. In 2019, he highlighted, there were 41 cases of suicide and in 2020, 49.
It also states that statistical data registered with the National Directorate of the Judiciary Police indicate a record of around 25 cases of suicide in the first half of 2023 alone.
“ Suicide among young people is a cause for great concern in several societies. According to WHO data, this is the fourth leading cause of death for young people aged between 15 and 29 globally, and comprises a variety of factors and reasons that can lead a person to commit such an act” , he said.
According to Fidel de Pina, suicide data registered with the Judiciary Police, at national level, by age group, from the year 2019 to the 1st half of 2023, indicate a record of seven suicides of young people under 18 years of age, seven suicides of young people aged between between 18 and 23 years old, 16 suicides among young people aged between 24 and 29 years old and 26 cases of suicide among young people aged between 30 and 39 years old.
“ A total of around 56 cases of youth suicide during this period referred to. These worrying data challenge us all, especially now that it has been declared by the Government as the year [2024] of Mental Health, to deeply reflect on this challenge that plagues the country and youth in particular” , he added.
For JPAI, this reality is due to the challenges that Cape Verdean youth are facing, starting with socioeconomic problems and ending with mental health issues.
In this sense, he identified mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia, as possible underlying causes of this crisis; the bullying; the abuse of toxic substances; family problems; youth unemployment; lack of access to adequate mental health services; social and family pressure; the lack of future prospects and the marginalization of certain groups within society.
“ These factors combined can create an environment conducive to despair and hopelessness, leading many young people to see suicide as the only way out. Therefore, PAICV Youth asks the current Government to recognize the seriousness of this situation and take concrete and immediate measures to address the underlying causes of suicide, especially among young people ”, he highlighted.
In addition to the Government, JPAI appealed to Cape Verdean society as a whole to unite in this fight against suicide, stating that it is “ extremely important ” that there is a synergy between the various actors in society in order to work together.
The suicide crisis among young people in Cape Verde, he reinforced, is an emergency that can no longer be ignored, which is why JPAI is “committed and available” to contribute to the search for effective ways to address the issue, especially in terms of prevention. .
In this context, it proposes that the Government carry out an in-depth study on suicide in the country, with a special focus on young people; invests in strengthening technicians and specialists linked to the area; investment in increasing access to mental health services, as well as suicide prevention work in schools, universities and communities to assess, identify, manage, guide and monitor people with suicidal behavior early on.
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