World Suicide Prevention Day was marked on Tuesday 10 September. It is a day marked worldwide for the commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world since 2003.

In Samoa, it was a day that just passed us by without much activities and awareness on the topic while the nation has one of the highest suicide rates.  It is also a good time to thank the Samoa Victims Support Group for picking up the baton to continue the suicide helpline.

Earlier this year Fa’ataua Le Ola (FLO) which means 'value life' was officially dissolved by the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour (M.C.I.L.). From February the suicide prevention helpline was no longer available to people of Samoa.

FLO has saved hundreds of lives in the last 20 years it was in operation. Just having someone to talk to prevents suicides and that is why the suicide helpline was effective.

Then SVSG stood up and became a member of LifeLine International, an international body that runs helplines for suicide prevention. They operate a suicide prevention helpline and they have been busy.

It was worrying to hear that attempted suicide callers to the Samoa Victim Support Group helpline increased from 10 per cent to 15 per cent specifically for those aged between 18 years and 35.

According to the SVSG helpline database, emotional abuse and intimate partner violence have been the main contributing factors.

In Samoa, suicide remains a serious public health concern, particularly among young people. For the past 20 years, suicide-specific death among Samoans has consistently exceeded the world average.

As of 2019, the global average of suicidal deaths was 9.49 per 100,000 people, while Samoa's rate stood at 12.6 per 100,000. These statistics reveal a marked gender disparity, with the rate for males at 18 per 100,000, significantly higher than the 6.7 per 100,000 for females (World Bank, 2022).

SVSG president Siliniu Lina Chang said their 24-hour free helpline ensures that anyone in need has access to counselling, guidance, or a listening ear whenever they need it most.

Suicide is not a small issue in this country. Suicide is not only a health issue, it is also a criminal matter.

Data collected by FLO showed that 77 Samoans took their lives between 2019-2022 and on average 20 lives are lost annually to suicides.

According to statistics collected by the World Health Organisation and the 2016 State of the World Children (SOWC), young adults in Samoa are more prone to commit suicide.

Adolescents in Samoa make up 22 per cent of the total population, which is a much larger percentage than the 13 per cent regional average for East Asia and the Pacific. For the past 20 years, suicide-specific death among Samoans has consistently exceeded the world average. While the world average of suicidal deaths as of 2019 was 9.49 per 100,000 people, that of Samoa was 12.6 per 100,000, with marked gender differences of 6.7 per 100,000 for females against 18 per 100,000 for males (World Bank, 2022).

Suicide is part of mental health. It is common knowledge that mental health has been a neglected aspect of the health strategy in Samoa. There is only one psychiatrist in the country and there is a non-profit organisation that caters to those with mental ailments needing full-time care.

The helpline provides some relief to those with suicidal tendencies and affected by depression.

While suicide is, in fact, an emergency, it can often be averted. That’s why these types of helplines exist. They offer emotional support and give individuals in crisis an outlet to talk to a trained professional. Of course, each situation is different; therefore, no two conversations will be the same.

The most important thing to understand about calling a suicide helpline is that each can connect you to a trained crisis counsellor 24/7. Everything remains confidential, and there is no time limit to how long you can speak with a crisis counsellor.

However, confidentiality is only given to a certain extent. While crisis counsellors are trained in collaborative problem solving, they may call emergency services, without consent, if the individual is threatening to harm themselves. But first, the crisis counsellor will do everything in their power to come up with a safety plan to talk the individual down before that happens.

Moreover, suicide helplines act as the epicentre of mental health resources. They can offer specific emotional support by connecting individuals with an adequately trained counsellor for the situation. They can refer individuals to more long-term solutions, such as local mental health services, that need to be worked on as well.

The Ministry of Health needs to incorporate mental health into the public health system faster. This is an opportunity to help people, save lives and create a career for upcoming counsellors and psychiatrists.

Suicide is a reality in Samoa. People have lost someone to self-harm and if there was a way to save those lives, then it should be made a priority. There is direct budget aid given to this country, can $1 million be directed to saving lives? If it cannot be, then we ask, what is the cost of a life?

Remember, help is only a phone call away. Call the SVSG Helpline on 800-7874.