Rajkot: Voluntary organizations, doctors and faculty members of Shyamji Krishna Verma University in Kutch have joined hands to launch a suicide prevention forum in an attempt to stop people from taking their own lives.The forum will follow guidelines of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) as one of the founding members of this forum is also a member of IASP. The forum will spread its wings to other parts of Gujarat also.The main task of the forum is to reduce the suicide rate in Kutch by 10%, which is the target set by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO data, 11 people commit suicide in India per 1 lakh population and ratio in Gujarat is 11.80. According to the data tabled in Gujarat assembly, in calendar year 2016, 479 people committed suicide in Rajkot district alone while the number in 2017 was 427. Rajkot was once the ‘suicide capital’ of Gujarat.The founder of this forum is Dr Devjyoti Sharma, a psychiatrist in Bhuj and members of IASP and Indian Psychiatric Society, has been engaged in this work since 2009 but in an individual capacity. “The suicide ratio in Saurashtra-Kutch is very high. Our effort will be to reach out and counsel maximum number of people who suffer from suicidal tendencies. We are attempting to spread our work in Rajkot and others parts of Gujarat,” said Sharma.According to data, nearly 138 people committed suicide in Kutch in 2017.The forum will focus on three major activities — public seminars, information dissemination and education and communication. Some material will be prepared and distributed by the voluntary organizations and doctors who treat mentally disturbed patients. They have also launched a 24X7 helpline for such people.A gateway keeper programme will be launched under which those who teach adolescent students, social workers and some spiritual leaders will be trained to deal with those who have suicidal tendencies. The helpline number will be spread through social media, posters, stickers, banners and at community get-togethers.“There are multiple reasons for a person committing suicide. Poverty, unemployment, breaking of relationship, depression or other mental illness, impulsive act, alcoholism or drug addiction. Suicidal behavior is a complex phenomenon that is influenced by personal, social, psychological, cultural and environmental interaction. Therefore, suicide prevention efforts require coordination and collaboration of all sections of the society,” said Sharma.Dr Kalpana Satija, vice president of the form and head of humanities department, Kutch University said, “This is a unique forum in India. When a person commits suicide, five people related to him/her undergo severe social trauma and stress and they need counselling. There is no institutionalized system in India to provide counselling to relatives of the victims but we will be providing this.”Indian Medical Association-Bhuj, Giants Group, Rotary Club, Kutch Yuva Parishad, Nutan Vikas Trust, OM foundation and other NGOs have jointly formed this forum.

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