Ranchi: The state health department will conduct a week-long suicide prevention awareness drive across schools and colleges in Jharkhand from Sept 10 to 16, with a special focus on teenagers, women and unemployed youth, National Health Mission director Shashi Prakash Jha said on Thursday.The campaign organised as part of World Suicide Prevention Day on Thursday will seek to promote conversations around mental health, identify early warning signs of suicidal behaviour and encourage people experiencing emotional distress to seek timely help.During a programme commemorating the day at Ranchi Sadar Hospital, Jha said awareness programmes would be conducted in educational institutions to sensitise students and young people about mental health, stress management and the importance of seeking support during difficult situations.“The target will be to reach out maximum number of youth and educational institutes during the drive. The silence around mental health needs to be turned into conversation and hopelessness into hope. People struggling with mental stress should not attempt to deal with it alone and should share their concerns with family members, friends or healthcare professionals,” Jha said.The department is also planning to strengthen mental healthcare services across the state. Jha said psychotropic medicines were being provided free of cost at govt hospitals across Jharkhand. The department is also planning to appoint psychiatrists in all districts, with a vacancy notification expected to be issued soon, he said.The awareness campaign will also focus on recognising behavioural changes such as sudden withdrawal, persistent stress, hopelessness and unusual emotional behaviour. Students will be encouraged to speak to parents, teachers or healthcare workers when they or someone around them shows signs of distress.Ranchi district nodal officer Dr Seema Gupta said people often hesitate to share their problems, which can aggravate mental distress. She also cautioned against excessive social media use and urged people to seek support instead of trying to cope with problems in isolation.The campaign is based on this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” which calls for a more open, sensitive and supportive approach to suicide prevention.
