Suicide is on the rise in Malawi, much to the concern of the Malawian government and civil societies in Malawi. Youths are reportedly the most affected.
According to police statistics, there are 133 suicide cases between September last year and June this year affecting people aged between 16-40. This is despite that not all suicide cases or attempted are reported to the police.
Youth civil rights activist Lucky Mbewe blamed the rise in suicide cases among the youth on the government's disinterest in improving the young people's welfare.
"It is high time the government started implementing the youth policy so that they have more opportunities," he said.
However, according to Judith Msusa, Director of youth in the ministry of youth, sports, labour, and manpower development, the government has lined up several programs and projects aimed at improving lives of youth.
According to the World Bank collection of development indicators in 2015, the suicide mortality rate (per 100,000 population) in Malawi was reported at 5.5%.
Latest World Health Organisation (WHO) data published in 2017, suicide deaths in Malawi reached 947 or 0.69% of total deaths. The age-adjusted Death Rate is 10.37 per 100,000 of population ranking Malawi at number 85 in the world.
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