BAGUIO CITY – The City Health Services Office (CHSO) said that suicide cases in the city dropped by thirty three percent last year compared to the similar cases that were reported during the previous year.
CHSO mental health and substance use program coordinator Ricky Ducas said that there were 24 documented suicide cases in the city last year compared to the 36 cases that were recorded by the office during the previous year.
However, he admitted that the number of suicide cases being recorded in the city remains high because the projected target is zero suicide cases to prevent the untimely loss of lives.
On the other hand, Ducas claimed that suicide cases among the youth, particularly those aged 15 to 19 also decreased from 10 suicide incidents during the previous year to only six in 2024.
The CHSO official advised people to be wary about the sudden change in behavior among their family members, relatives and friends and for them to seek immediate attention from the concerned health workers to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that will lead to the commission of suicide by the affected individuals.
He pointed out that suicide is curable if the situation of the individual can be provided with immediate attention from health workers who are knowledgeable about the situation, thus, the need for people to be concerned about the behavior of their colleagues not only in the profession but also in their respective communities.
He assured the public that the CHSO mental health and substance program unit is ready to extend the necessary assistance to people seeking Further, the CHSO continues to conduct aggressive information and education campaign in the different barangays and through the social media relative to the prevention of mental health issues to contribute in the overall efforts of the government to address the alarming concerns on mental health disorders that is affecting the populace. By Dexter A. See
