A surge in suicide cases in Malawi has prompted calls for increased funding to tackle the growing mental health crisis.
According to the latest figures, 281 people took their own lives in the first six months of this year, compared to 587 cases in the whole of 2023.
The Global Health Corps, an international health rights organization, is urging authorities to allocate more resources to raise awareness about mental health and related emergencies.
Speaking at a mental health awareness meeting in Lilongwe on Monday, Simon Sinkoko, Country Director of Global Health Corps, said: “Malawi is one of the countries in Southern and Eastern Africa facing increased rates of suicide cases among young people due to socio-economic issues and the dynamics of living conditions.”
Dr. Jonathan Chiwanda, from the Ministry of Health’s Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health Division, emphasized the need for collective action: “Coming together regularly is the only key to fighting for increased awareness of mental health in Malawi.”
However, the meeting highlighted the shortage of psychiatric nurses as a major challenge, with public universities not training enough specialists to meet the demand in hospitals.
Dr. Chiwanda acknowledged the concerns: “We are worried about the increasing suicide issues, but we are vigilant. That’s why we are here to provide leadership on how to reduce suicide. Sometimes, mental health cases take time to observe.”
The workshop attendees stressed that more allocation is needed to address the high rate of suicide cases in Malawi, particularly among young people.
Sinkoko added: “Mental health has affected communities and youth, and I believe this meeting will bring solutions as we make a network that shares resources and expertise, making the same impact on communities.”
Suicide is a serious global health concern, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting over 700,000 suicide deaths worldwide in 2019.
Other countries, such as South Korea and Japan, have implemented innovative solutions to tackle the issue, including AI-powered chatbots and community-based mental health programs.
In contrast, many African countries, including Malawi, face significant challenges in addressing the growing mental health crisis due to limited resources and funding.
As the situation in Malawi continues to deteriorate, it is clear that urgent action is needed to address the root causes of suicide and provide support to those affected.
