NIMHANS Inaugurates a Multi-Disciplinary Suicide Prevention Centre in Bengaluru

The suicide rate is constantly increasing in India. It should be socially acceptable for people to express that they are upset or stressed mentally. By using data analysis, a program can be created that can help to prevent suicides, and also support individuals facing mental health challenges,” Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said while inaugurating the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) Suicide Prevention, Research, Implementation and Training Engagement (N-Sprite) centre on World Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday in the city. 

The Karnataka Health Department will collaborate with NIMHANS to chalk out an effective suicide prevention program by involving various government departments, said Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. The Minister said although the department is already running the Karnataka Brain Health Initiative (KaBHI), the District Mental Health Programme, and other mental health initiatives, it will work with NIMHANS to evolve a program by studying the vulnerability to self-harm and ending lives among various sections including students.

As per the data of the National Crime Record Bureau, 1.7 lakh people died by suicide in India in 2022.NIMHANS Director Dr. Pratima Murthy emphasized the urgent need for research and intervention to control the increasing suicide rate. Dr. Murthy said that communities need to be engaged to look at suicide as something preventable and need to build confidence in children. People should be helped to choose hope over despair and empathy over stigma and shock. The centre aims to take a multi-disciplinary approach to suicide prevention by developing evidence-based guidelines for intervention, conducting research, and building capacity through healthcare-providing training. It will also implement interventions for suicide prevention and focus on policy advocacy, making suicide prevention a priority in India’s public health agenda.