The Nationalist Party wants parliament to appoint a task force to come up with a plan of action to address the ‘alarming’ suicide rate.
It is asking two parliamentary committees to meet and urgently discuss bringing together a group of professionals in the field who would be tasked with drafting recommendations and coming up with a plan of action, cure and prevention to address the issue that is causing “serious concern”.
“The PN feels this plan is necessary, not only for people who are at risk of attempting suicide now, but for the population at large, and while it should provide long-term solutions, it should also address the issue in the short-term, because the situation has become “urgent”.
Shadow ministers Albert Buttigieg, Ivan Bartolo, Graziella Galea, Stephen Spiteri, Ian Vassallo and Adrian Delia tabled the request in parliament, urging the social affairs committee and the health committee to meet urgently.
“Also, in light of the fact that this not a partisan issue, the PN has no doubt government MPs will agree to a mature discussion,” they said. “This situation is of serious concern.”
The latest report by the mental health commissioner found that 34 people died by suicide in 2021, they said, with the youngest being 14 years old and the eldest 73.
Parliamentary questions also reveal there were 24 people who died by suicide in 2022 and 27 last year.
Moreover, 126 suicide attempts were recorded last year – a figure which does not include attempts that went unreported – and there were already four suicides registered in January and February this year.
Experts in Malta often urge caution over interpreting local suicide data as the numbers are too small to derive significant conclusions, but many mental health professionals and members of the public are growing concerned nonetheless.
‘Every suicide is a warning to society’
PN family spokesperson Albert Buttigieg addressed the issue in parliament yesterday, telling MPs that even though traditional media refrains from reporting suicides, the news still seeps and spreads through social media.
“This is seemingly causing other people who are going through a difficult time to believe that suicide is a solution,” he said, adding that six out of the 34 people who died by suicide in 2021 were aged less than 25 and three were over 65.
“The majority of people who died by suicide were men, which means we [men] are more vulnerable, despite trying to show otherwise,” he said.
“Other people attempted suicide or seriously considered it but remained silent, and others inflicted self-harm, which could also lead to suicide.”
Several factors drive a person to consider suicide, he said. Among them, lack of mental health and stress coping skills, low self-esteem and emotional and financial problems.
It is precisely due to the complexity of the problem that the PN MPs are calling for a task force of professional people, he said.
“Every suicide is not just a loss of a person or a trauma for their loved ones – it is also a warning to society, a message we need to understand.”
“To us politicians, I say, let us go beyond political bickering and work together for the cause.”
If you are feeling depressed and need support, or need guidance on how to help someone who is suicidal, call 1579. You can also call Richmond Malta’s helpline on 1770. One can also type OLLI.chat on their desktop, mobile or tablet browser to chat with a professional. If you have been affected by suicide you can call Victim Support Malta on 2122 8333 or info@victimsupport.org.mt.