CHSO reports increase in suicide cases
The City Health Services office (CHSO) reported that suicide cases in the city continue to increase amidst efforts by the local government to address the said pressing concern among the youth.
CHSO mental health program assistant Cyra Policarpio said that there are already 19 suicide cases in the city from January to may which is higher than the 16 suicide cases recorded during the same period last year.
Of the 19 suicide cases this year, 16 are males and 3 are females where 63 percent of the said cases are from the different barangays in the city.
Last year, the CHSO recorded some 24 suicide cases that had been committed by mostly males that warrants the implementation of aggressive interventions that will cater to the mental health issues being encountered by the youth.
Policarpio claimed that most of the suicide cases belong to the 20-24 and 20-29 age bracket which is an indication that the young ones are prone to commit suicide.
She appealed to individuals experiencing mental health issues to immediately visit the CHSO or the health centers in their respective barangays for them to seek the necessary attention and intervention that may be provided them to allow them to hurdle the challenges in their lives and avoid committing suicide.
According to her, the number of individuals seeking assistance from the CHSO mental health unit continues to increase which is an indication that people are fully aware of their programs to extend whatever available assistance to those having mental health issues.
From January to May, the CHSO mental health unit was already able to assist some 384 individuals with various mental health issues where 233 were males and 151 were females. – Dexter A. See
