India Achieves Milestone in Mental Health: 30% Decline in Suicide Rates Since 1990

It has been revealed in The Lancet that from 1990 to 2021, India has achieved a remarkable 30 percent decrease in suicide death rates. The number of suicide cases dropped from 18.9 per 100,000 in 1990 to 13 per 100,000 in 2021. While male cases dropped from 21.1 to 15.4, female cases dropped more prominently, going from 16.8 to 10.3 per 100,000. Experts attribute these successes to effective intervention and prevention strategies, starting from the National Suicide Prevention Strategy launched in 2022. Challenges remain on the other hand, as, despite this, India still reports high suicide rates. The study calls for unrelenting efforts in mental health support, crisis management, and addressing socio-economics triggers to allow for greater reductions in suicide rates.

 

Source: The Lancet Public Health