Changing the narrative: Reducing stigma to prevent suicide cases

Did you know that in every 100 deaths globally, one is caused by suicide? In Kenya, about four people die of suicide every day.  This adds up to about 800,000 lives lost every year. Suicide is a major global public health issue that affects people of all ages, race, status and background. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 720,000 suicide deaths are recorded annually, attributing these cases to joblessness, death, academic failures, legal difficulties and financial instabilities.

According to the latest report by the WHO’s World Mental Health Today, more than one billion people are living with mental health disorders, especially among young people. “Suicide remains the leading cause of death among young people across geographies and socioeconomic contexts,” the report says. 

September is recognized as the Suicide Prevention Month, a time to bring attention to the issue of suicide – one of the most urgent public health challenges globally. As we mark September 10th as the World Suicide prevention Day, it’s a time to reflect on how to change the narrative. Behind the global and local statistics, are stories and scars of deep loss that has that forever changed their perspective on mental health. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people aged between 15 and 29 years, globally but mostly in low and middle-income countries, reports the WHO. 

For Peter Chemonges from Kipsikrok village in Mt. Elgon, the sound of grief still lingers in his compound eight months after losing their teenage son to suicide. He painfully recalls the fateful morning of 7th January 2025. “Chris was only fifteen; my firstborn, a quiet boy who loved football and would always ask us about the Sabaot culture” he begins. “This particular day, Chris’s door remained unusually closed up to 10am despite the fact that he was supposed to have been up, preparing for school. He would be in form two this year”, he recalls.

“When I pushed open the door to his house, Chris was hanging from the roof beam, his legs dangling near his bed. I froze. For a moment, I thought it was a bad dream!” Mr. Chemonges recounts, trying to fight back tears. He explains that they later found a note behind the TV set in their living room that their son had left. In the note, the teen confessed that he felt overwhelmed by studies and was not performing to his parents’ and teachers’ expectations. His dad admits that he indeed had severally scolded him over his below average academic performance. 

This is just is one of the many similar suicide stories in the country, involving young people, amid concerns over the rising trend of suicides in the recent past. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reports that suicide cases in the country are on the rise, as mental health experts warn that people in the rural areas face challenges like stigma surrounding mental health discussions, lack of counselling services, family and societal pressure on children to succeed academically, among other reasons.  

Mr. Chemonges feels the guilt of ‘failing his son’ and this eats him up every other day. “I don’t know how I missed the signs. I didn’t know my son was going through life’s struggles; I would have talked to him out of it rather than scolding him,” he says, adding that parents should engage their children in dialogues, always. “Parents should never ignore any slight emotional shift in their children. Even silence is communication. Listen,” he shares.

Dr. Patrick Nyagundi, a Psychologist at the Chiromo Hospital Group talks about teen suicide. “A lot of parents do not believe that their child would even contemplate, leave alone attempt suicide,” he notes. “It is worth noting that teenagers are at a very crucial stage of development because this is the stage where they are struggling to find identity and are experiencing a lot of changes in their bodies, minds and their environment. Both at home and in school, and it’s good to be proactive in their lives as they develop."

Dr. Nyagundi insists that it is imperative to take keen interest in children’s lives from an early age, noting the changes in behavior and attitude. “If your teenager becomes depressed and withdrawn more often, that’s an indication that there is an underlying problem that needs to be dealt with urgently,” he adds, saying that some teens might start abusing alcohol and other substances as an escape route or coping strategy when frustrated or going through a depressing issue. Others, he continues, become withdrawn and silent.  

A report by the Kenya Mental Health Policy (2015-2030) developed by the Ministry of Health, reveals that suicide is the second leading cause of non-communicable deaths, after road accidents. Latest statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) report that more than 1,700 suicide deaths have been recorded over the past four years. 

The Ministry of Health admits that 75% of Kenyans do not have access to mental health wellness services, and has since inaugurated the National Advisory Committee for the National Baseline Mental Health Survey to generate national estimates, monitoring progress, resource allocation and service delivery. The Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth notes that while Kenya has a mental health policy, its implementation has been constrained by limited resources, and stresses the need for targeted funding to expand services and close the treatment gap. 

In September 2024, the Ministry of Health officially launched the country’s first clinical guidelines for the management of common mental disorders. Dr. Bashir Isaak, the Head of Family Health, highlighted the significant mental health burden in Kenya, noting that 42% of individuals seeking primary health care have severe depression and the national prevalence of common mental disorders stands at 10.3%. The guidelines aim to close a 75% treatment gap by improving identification, diagnosis, referral and management of mental disorders that might lead to suicide. 

Early this year, Justice Lawrence Mugambi of the High Court of Kenya ruled that Section 266 of Kenya’s penal code which criminalized attempted suicide, was unconstitutional, adding that it offends Article 27 of the Constitution which guarantees equality and freedom from discrimination for all persons. Initially, Section 266 stipulated that any person who attempts to end their own life is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to imprisonment of up to 2 years, or both, with the minimum age of prosecution set at 8 years old. 

In 2023, the top management of Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital asked the Parliament of Kenya to repeal the penal code (Section 266) which imposed liability on individuals who attempt suicide, arguing that such people are often grappling with mental illness and require medical intervention rather than punitive measures.

‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide’ is this year’s theme for the Suicide Prevention Day, and it aims at raising awareness about the importance of reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations to prevent suicide.