A total of 489 Fijians have died by suicide in the five years since 2020, with 76 per cent being male.
Lifeline Fiji’s team leader Jeremaia Qalobulailakeba Merekula revealed the figures during a joint event with Bank South Pacific (BSP) Fiji last week.
He said 13 Fijians aged between 18 and 24 had died by suicide so far this year alone.
“The statistics are alarming. In lamenting this huge loss, the profound personal, social, societal and economic loss each incident causes is huge,” Mr Merekula said.
For every suicide incident, he said, 20 others would have attempted the same.
“That is where Lifeline comes in, to be the listener for the person who is struggling, cannot speak up or is not being heard.”
Mr Merekula made the comments after receiving a $10,000 contribution from BSP Fiji to support Lifeline’s operations and workshops.
BSP’s general manager for People and Culture Miliana Susau Tavakaturaga said many Fijians suffer silently.
“We care for the people of Fiji who are suffering, many silently, because they fear the stigma associated with opening up,” she said.
In light of this, BSP is full’ behind Lifeline’s ‘Changing the Narrative’ campaign.
“People need to know that it is OK to talk, OK to ask for help and, importantly, that there are people prepared and willing to listen attentively.”
