Suicide prevention is everyone’s business

Each year in Northern Ireland there are around 150 deaths by suicide and 5,000 across the UK. Globally, suicide is one of the world’s largest public health problems accounting for approximately one million lives lost annually.

The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) is supporting the World Suicide Prevention Day 2005 campaign which highlights, ‘Prevention of suicide is everyone’s business’. Held annually on 10 September, the day focuses on suicide as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, particularly in younger people.

In Northern Ireland, a multi-faceted approach to tackling the issue of suicide was a major focus at a recent suicide prevention conference organised by the HPA and the Investing for Health team, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the HPA said: “Preventing suicide and reducing the rate of suicide has become an urgent public health issue in Northern Ireland. Across the UK, each country is committed to doing all it can at local, regional and national level to help reduce the risk of suicide in our communities.

“Ongoing work by the Northern Ireland Suicide Task Force has shown that the only way to tackle this complex issue is to involve the collaboration of all government agencies and departments, local agencies, organisations, professionals and other workers, communities, families and individuals. We need to build upon what we have learnt at the suicide prevention conference and work towards developing a strategy which will best meet the needs of those most at risk.”

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Notes to the editors
World Suicide Prevention Day was first organised in 2003, by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Further information about the day is available on the website: www.med.uio.no/iasp/wspd/menu2005.html.