The City Hall of Zamboanga. (PNA file photo)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The local government is formulating a mental health program to respond to the rising number of suicide cases here, Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said Saturday.
“Our local government had requested the City Budget Office to study the program together with our mental health professionals,” Salazar said.
Salazar said the mental health program will include training to equip mental health workers with the necessary knowledge and skills in suicide prevention.
Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite, city health officer, attributed the rising suicide incidents to the stress brought on by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
“With what is happening right now due to the pandemic, this contributes to our stress. Those who cannot cope or handle the stress well get depressed, and some of them commit suicide,” Miravite said.
The health official said they have recorded 20 suicide cases since January this year.
Miravite said a team of medical officers from CHO and other government agencies have met to come up with a program addressing mental health issues.
“Hopefully in the coming days, we would be able to roll this out in the 98 barangays,” she said. (PNA)
