Yenagoa—A developmental activist and public health practitioner, Dr. Inenyo Esinte, has called on government, politicians, organizations and good-spirited individuals to create more socio-economic opportunities and social support schemes for the downtrodden, unemployed, internally displaced, poor and vulnerable persons in the society to prevent the menace of suicide.
Esinte made the call while delivering a public lecture on suicide prevention to mark this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day tagged “Creating Hope Through Action” in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
“At a time the country is facing dire economic challenges, it is vital to create more opportunities for the less-privileged to prevent the recurring incidence of suicide due to poverty, frustration, and hopelessness being experienced across the country occasioned by economic hardship,” he said.
He said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), suicide is a major public health problem with far-reaching social, emotional and economic consequences.
According to him, it is estimated that there are currently more than 700, 000 suicides per year worldwide and “we know that each suicide profoundly affects many more people.”
The activist called on politicians as well as philanthropists, corporate organizations and religious bodies to make concerted efforts to establish more social support schemes to help vulnerable persons in the society.
He also called on political leaders and public servants to entrench good governance, accountability, and prudent utilization of public resources, and focus on delivering the dividends of democracy to bring real socio-economic development to improve the standard of living in the country.
