the goan I network
PANAJI
The Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN) on Monday, the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day, wrote to the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), calling for an action plan to prevent the rise in suicides in Goa.
In a letter to Dr Jose D’Sa, director DHS, convenor of GOACAN Roland Martins pointed out that Goa has seen an increase in the of number deaths due to suicides among men, women and students in the recent past. “(These can be avoided) if an individual is provided with the opportunity to speak in confidence to a trained counselor, and opportunities of counseling and guidance from trained personnel are readily available at the village level,” Martins stated.
GOACAN has recommended that the DHS prepare an action plan to tackle the same with the collaboration of other departments like the Directorate of Women and Child Development, Directorate of Education and Higher Education, IPHB, GMC, and NGOs.
Other recommendations made by GOACAN include publicising the availability of trained counselors at the respective PHCs and UHCs. Further, the organisation has asked the DHS to appoint a nodal officer in the directorate to co-ordinate the efforts to prevent suicides, and receive feedback from the general public.
Martins has asked that the DHS prepare an annual month-long activity plan from September 10 (World Suicide Prevention Day) to October 10 (World Mental Health Day), which can be observed in all PHCs, UHCs, CHCs and district hospitals.
