Suicide control helpline in two hospitals

Kathmandu: The government has launched suicide control helpline from two hospitals of the federal capital, Kathmandu.

In a bid to curb the growing suicide cases lately because of the COVID-19 crisis, Mental Hospital of Lagankhel and TU Teaching Hospital have begun the helpline, according to Chief of Mental Health Section at Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Dr Phanindra Baral.

One can reach the helpline at 1166 at Mental Hosptial, Lagankhel, and 16600121600 at TU Teaching Hospital. The psychiatrists can facilitate anyone suffering mental problems.

The Mental Hospital provides the helpline service from 8:00am to 8:00pm while TU Teaching Hospital all round the clock.

Globally, 800 thousand people commit suicide every year, according to World Health Organization. It means every 40 seconds, a life is lost in self-killing. The global record shows that 79 per cent of such self-killing happen in the countries with low and middle income countries like Nepal.

Worrying that Nepal records 17 suicide cases every day. Nepal stands 7th in position with high suicide rate.