From Guyana Times

The Caribbean Voice (TCV), Hope & Healing for Essequibo one-week suicide outreach programme has concluded but more work is needed, posited counsellor and Reverend Banmattie Ram, an overseas-based former Child Welfare Officer.

This call comes in light of recent reports of three attempted suicide cases being monitored at the Charity Hospital, Essequibo Coast.

Ram in an interview with Guyana Times stated she is pleased with the positive feedback received from the targeted populace. She credited the success of the networking she was able to achieve to get stakeholders to join the fight to end the suicide scourge.

An interfaith service was held which saw persons hearing about the stance of religious leaders on suicide.

“The Anna Regina Mosque shared and talked about what the Koran says about suicide and recited some words of comfort and we talked about what they were doing in regards to young people. They said basically we need to understand what the Koran says about how to live a good life,” Ram explained.

She noted that, “spirituality has a lot to do with coping skills.” The Reverend did regret that the Hindu community was not in attendance. A number of churches also took part in the service.

There were sessions in schools where suicide prevention methods were explained and students posited their needs.

“We need counselling, we need somebody to talk to, we don’t have them in schools,” stated the children, according to Ram.

Ram also pointed out the need for more recreational activities to keep the young occupied.

“The students said that they were very bored, they didn’t have much to do,” Ram explained. There were individual counselling sessions with adults where it was stated that alcohol and drug use have contributed to the issue of domestic violence, which has been observed as one of the causal factors of suicides. “They wanted somebody to listen to them and I gave them literature,” Revered Ram added. Ram has called for counsellors to be stationed in the community.

“I think there needs to be community counsellors, whether in churches, in the Ministry of Social Protection; they need to get involved and see what’s going on there. Also we need parental skills to counsel those who attempted suicide,” Ram related.

In a recent interview with this publication, Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud explained that plans are afoot for a national consultation meeting with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in March on the prevention of suicide.

This followed the announcement of a National Suicide Prevention Plan by Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton.

Ram continued her praise for work The Caribbean Voice NGO has continued but cautioned that the Essequibo Coast needs attention.

For more on this story go to: http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/2016/02/07/caribbean-voice-concludes-essequibo-outreach/