Editorial
Let’s do our part to stop suicide attempts
Urgent action is needed to stop suicide attempts because suicide poses major public health risks and have long-lasting social, emotional, mental, physical, and economic effects.
Suicide refers to taking one’s own life. People may use it as a means of escaping pain or misery.
Research indicates that for those aged 10 to 34, suicide is the second most common cause of death, and for those aged 35 to 54, it is the fourth most common.
In light of this, immediate action is needed to guarantee that suicide mortality rates are lowered.
This September, as the world observes National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, The Spectator wishes to appeal to all individuals and organisations across the nation to raise awareness of the issue of suicide and promote its prevention.
Last Sunday, was World Suicide Prevention Day. The theme was “Creating Hope Through Action.”
The rate of suicide attempts is disturbing. Now children are included in addition to the teens. There is an urgent need to address suicide.
Suicide can be linked to a high unemployment rate that creates financial difficulties, poverty, neglect, and major health issues.
Due to the high divorce rate in society today, marital dissolution could possibly be linked to suicide.
A number of mental health issues, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and emotional stress, have been linked to a higher risk of suicide. According to research, 46 percent of suicide victims had a diagnosable mental health issue.
The Spectator urges all to come onboard to address this issue as suicidal thoughts can afflict everyone, regardless of age, gender, or background.
Governmental and non-governmental organisations must strengthen their support systems, particularly for people who have attempted suicide, in order to prevent future occurrence.
A woman who had tried suicide described how she had suicidal thoughts and believed that was her only option. She suggested that there should be separate rooms for doctors sharing consulting rooms as patients do not feel comfortable discussing problems while visiting the hospital.
To help families manage people who are at danger of suicidal behaviours, healthcare officials should educate the public on coping and problem-solving techniques.
Another crucial area that requires attention from policymakers is the improvement of access to and delivery of suicide care.
Individuals who display violent behaviour, mood swings, increased alcohol and drug use, and withdrawal from friends, family, and the community must be recognised and given support by their families and communities.
Some families have lost loved ones to suicide. No one is safe, that is why we need to raise awareness, advocate for alternatives to suicidal acts, and provide support for those who survived.
Dear Editor,
The recent shooting to death of Javits Frimpong, a 15 year old Ghanaian student in Bronx, USA, is a heartbreaking reminder that bullying should never be dismissed as a normal part of growing up.
Reports indicate that the teenager had allegedly been subjected to bullying at school before he was fatally shot on his way to class.
While investigations continue and the exact motive yet to be officially established, the circumstances surrounding this tragedy have raised serious concerns about the impact of not checking bullying.
What makes this loss even more painful is that Javits Frimpong, had moved from Ghana to the United States with hopes of a brighter future through education. Instead, his life was cut short at an age when he should have been pursuing his dreams and preparing for adulthood.
Bullying is often viewed as harmless teasing, but its effects can be severe and long-lasting. Victims may suffer emotional trauma, anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, and, in extreme cases, become entangled in violence.
This incident should serve as a wake-up call to schools everywhere. Complaints of bullying must be taken seriously, investigated promptly, and addressed decisively before situations escalate.
Parents, teachers, school authorities, and community leaders all share a responsibility to create safe environments for young people.
Open communication, counselling services, anti-bullying education, and effective disciplinary measures can help protect vulnerable students.
Equally important is teaching young people respect, empathy, and peaceful conflict resolution.
As we mourn the loss of Javits Frimpong, let us also commit ourselves to ensuring that no other child loses their life because warning signs were ignored. The fight against bullying is not merely a school issue; it is a societal responsibility.
Yours faithfully,
Dansoman
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The recent report that 294 teenage girls in the Ayawaso West Municipality failed to receive their Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a depressing reminder of the gap between medical progress and public trust.
In a focused campaign with 997 girls the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal Health Directorate reached a 70 percent coverage rate. Our public health professionals deserve praise for reaching 703 girls, but the remaining 30 percent pose a serious threat.
This shortfall is not due to a lack of institutional effort, logistics, or resources. The directorate had sufficient logistics, as highlighted by Public Health Nurse Patience Adoli Kporxah. Rather, the barrier was completely human: a lack of parental approval.
In Ghana, one of the top causes of cancer-related mortality for women is still cervical cancer. Ironically, it is also one of the most avoidable. The HPV vaccine is widely acknowledged as a safe, highly effective barrier that, when given early, can prevent up to 90 percent of cervical cancers.
Parents are unknowingly leaving their daughters vulnerable to a virus that they will probably come into contact with in the future by withholding approval.
This initiative was not initiated in secret by the health directorate. They coordinated with churches, mosques, and media outlets, spoke at Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, and sent letters to schools as part of their broad public outreach efforts. However, around 300 parents continued to withhold their signatures in spite of these multi-dimensional approaches.
Why is this resistance still present? Fear, cultural taboos, and false information about vaccines and reproductive health on the internet are the main causes of vaccine hesitation rather than an intent to hurt a child. When a vaccination is administered to young teenagers in schools, it may cause unjustified concerns about fertility and sexuality.
Our public health initiatives need to change in order to close this gap before the November and December phases.
Letters and the mass media are important, but they are unable to provide precise, worried answers. During PTA meetings, health staff could think about holding direct question and answer sessions so parents may express their worries without fear of being judged.
In order to normalise the vaccine, community elders, religious leaders, and reputable local physicians must do more than simply impart knowledge; they must openly support it.
We must present the HPV vaccine as a standard, life-saving cancer prevention tool that is now completely incorporated into Ghana’s regular immunisation programme.
The entrance is still open, according to public health officials. Daughters who did not participate in the school-based activity can still get the vaccination at no cost by taking them to any government health institution.
We must work together to prevent cervical cancer in the future generation. The infrastructure, education, and dosages have been supplied by public health teams. The trust must now be provided by the parents of Ayawaso West and Ghana as a whole.
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