Intervention through USHAS project helps over 2,800 persons in five govt hospitals in Bengaluru to reduce suicide intent and future attempts
The Hindu
B'luru Health Dept. saved 2,800 persons from suicide attempts in 5 hospitals. Project USHAS provides assessment & intervention to reduce suicide intent. Counsellors deputed to hospitals, Tele Manas helpline 14416 round the clock. SAHAI helpline 25497777 10am-6pm Mon-Sat. #WorldSuicidePreventionDay
The State Health Department has been able to counsel and save the lives of over 2,800 persons who reported repeated suicide attempts or self-harm in five general hospitals in Bengaluru. This counselling is part of a project taken up under the National Health Mission (NHM) in collaboration with NIMHANS.
September 10 is observed as World Suicide Prevention Day. In India, as many as 1,64,033 suicides were reported in 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. This is an increase of 7.2% in comparison to the previous year in terms of total numbers. At 12%, the rate of suicide (the number of suicides per one lakh population) in 2021 was the highest since 1967.
The project titled “Urban Self-HArm Study” (USHAS) involves assessment and intervention to reduce suicide intent and future attempts among survivors of such attempts. From October 1, 2022, when the project was initiated, till August 31, 2023, as many as 2,866 individuals have reported self-harm or previous attempts to end lives at five hospitals — Victoria, Bowring and Lady Curzon, Jayanagar General, K.C. General and C.V. Raman. These included 1,390 females and five transgenders.
Under the project, counsellors have been deputed to the emergency departments of these hospitals. While 1,362 cases were reported in Victoria Hospital, 656 were reported in K.C. General Hospital, 350 in Jayanagar General Hospital, 366 in Bowring Hospital and 132 in C.V. Raman Hospital, according to data from the department.
Rajani Parthasarathy, State Deputy Director (Mental Health), said the project seeks to facilitate psychosocial intervention, counselling and treatment at hospitals, if required, for those attempting suicide and their families.
“This group has been chosen for intervention because the members are prone to attempt to end their lives repeatedly. For example, one of the individuals who got intervention had made six attempts. Some would have attempted, and some would have thought about it. Such interventions are essential to stop them from repeating the act,” she said.
Suicide attempt clients are being catered to across all the health institutions in the State as mandated under Section 115 of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017. Anyone in distress can call Tele Manas helpline 14416 which functions round the clock, she said.
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