Psychologist and lecturer at the University of Ghana, Emanuel Assampong, has attributed suicides to lack of resources to withstand situations.

This statement is in line with the commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day.

The 2020 theme for the commemoration “Working Together to Prevent Suicide” seeks to call the attention of stakeholders to the urgent need to contribute to the decriminalization of the prevention of suicides.

According to available statistics at the World Health Organization (WHO) over 800,000 people take their lives annually.

Commenting on issues surrounding suicides, Emanuel Assampong, explained that individuals have different ways of reacting to dire situations.

“Usually, suicide victims continue with the act after they had fought and believe that they have exhausted all problem solving angles and avenues in their situations. The victim is broken to the extent that suicide is the only available option”, he explained.

Emanuel Assampong also called for the decriminalization of suicide arguing that disorder is just like any other disease treated at the hospital.

“When people have Malaria, we take them to the hospital and not the  police station. I strongly believe that laws on suicide should not be criminalized, but persons who come out of suicidal thoughts should be taken through some social interventions to make prevent them from going through a similar phase in the future”, he added.