[ 2017-03-24 ]

Group pushes for repeal of ‘outmoded’ suicide law
A psychology lecturer, Emmanuel Nii Boye Quarshie,
and others, plan to petition Parliament to
decriminalize suicide.

In an interview with Citi News, Emmanuel Nii Boye
Quarshie said the petition was informed by eight
years of research as he noted that Ghana instead
needs suicide prevention policies.

“We want government to repeal the law, take it
out and rather put in intervention policies and
suicide prevention policies,” Mr. Quarshie
stated. “We got this law from the British, and
they repealed theirs in 1961 and since then, they
have not completely eliminated suicidal behaviour,
but the rates are tolerably low.

It is not just with the British, but other
countries who have repealed that law have seen
downward trends in terms of prevalence.”
post-decriminalised-suicide-_-uk

Mr. Quarshie was speaking on the sidelines of a
University of Ghana forum on suicide for some
final year students.

The Talk was against the background of increased
reports of alleged suicide cases in the last few
weeks. Two university students, one JHS pupil and
four others have all committed suicide in the last
one month.

The latest research by the department on suicide
shows adolescent suicide is highest in schools,
with children of single parents being the most
affected.

Invest in mental health to reduce suicides – Dr
Osafo

A clinical psychologist and suicidologist at the
University of Ghana, Dr. Joseph Osafo, has
bemoaned the lack of seriousness in terms of
government investments and support for mental
health.

According to him, this situation has contributed
to the increasing trend of suicide in the
country.

Source - citifmonline.com

... go Back