FIJI recorded a total of 450 suicide deaths in a three-year period from 2014 to 2017.
The shocking statistics were revealed at the 21st Attorney-General’s Conference by Dr Odille Chang, the associate professor head of school of medical services at the Fiji National University.
While presenting on the topic, “Are you well? Right to health”, Dr Chang outlined that these statistics outnumbered the number of road traffic accidents which was 314 for the same period.
“Ninety per cent of mental disorder cases that are often undiagnosed or untreated end up committing or attempted to commit suicide,” Dr Chang said.
“Suicide deaths in this three-year period are three times the number of drowning and four times greater the number of deaths from dengue, leptospirosis and HIV/AIDS combined.
“We are definitely facing a public health epidemic with regards to suicide.”
Dr Chang said there was a need to reorganise services and shift from stand-alone psychiatric hospitals to community-based services.
