Several factors impel Burundians to commit suicide

Jean Baptiste Nzorironkankuze, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Health has said several factors are related to committing suicide in Burundi. They include mental disorders, psychoactive substances, chronic illnesses, loss of work, or financial loss, relational or social loss, lack of social support and feelings of isolation, unemployment…

Jean Baptiste Nzorironkankuze: « About 4.3 % of Burundians from four provinces have tried to commit suicide”

According to a Health Survey conducted in four provinces namely Ngozi, Gitega, Rumonge and Bujumbura city in August 2019, 6.4% of Burundians have really thought about committing suicide while 4.3 % have tried to commit it. For the Permanent Secretary, there is a need to educate, inform and sensitize people to suicide prevention.

According to the World Health Organization, about 800,000 people end their life each year. “Many others try to commit suicide”, says Nzorironkankuze.

The Permanent Secretary also added that about 4 patients out of 10 have psychological disorders while 8.9% suffer from anxiety disorders and 4.4 % suffer from acute psychosis. According to the survey conducted in the same provinces, patients suffering from schizophrenia and trauma are 4.5% and 33, 4 % respectively. According to WHO, mental disorders affect almost 12% of the world’s population.

The World Mental Health Day will be celebrated in Burundi on October 10th under the theme “Suicide Prevention”. “It will be an occasion to raise awareness of the different challenges faced in mental health”, concludes the Permanent Secretary.