The Suicide Prevention Helpline has been stepping up its work and offering assistance through counseling to many Guyanese who seek out help.

The Helpline is managed by the Guyana Police Force and other Agencies. Today, Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine revealed that over the past two years, the helpline has received a total of 296 phone calls from persons seeking help.

He said in many of those cases, persons complained about depression and frustration and thoughts to take their own lives.

The work of the 24 hour helpline will continue, he assured.

Guyana has the highest suicide rate in this part of the world and over the years, there have been several initiatives and programmes launched to combat the problem.

While attempted suicide remains a criminal offence, there have been ongoing efforts to curb the problem across the country, especially in the Berbice and Essequibo regions, which continue to record the highest numbers of suicide cases.

The Public Health Ministry has stated that it continues to look at ways to address the issue through the Mental Health Unit.

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