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Reference ID U27862S

Headline Suicide prevention in India - 2014

Description Suicide is a global public health problem according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Widespread use in India of pesticides in farming has led to particularly high rates of suicide in the country's rural areas. In the first study of its kind, the World Health Organization has been investigating whether limiting access to pesticides by building centralized pesticide storage facilities away from people's homes can help reduce suicides in southern India.

WHO carried out the study in the villages of Kandamangalam and Kurungudi in Tamilnadu state, about five hours from the city of Chennai. In this area, the villagers main source of income is from cultivating flowers such as jasmine and firecracker. Because these are fragile crops, farmers spray the flowers with pesticides every fortnight.

In 2012, the rate of deaths resulting from suicide in Tamilnadu was 24.9 per 100 000 significantly higher than that year's estimated global average of 11.4 per 100 000.

Involving members of the community was vital to the project's success. Each village's council leaders chose the location of its storage facility and supervised its construction and management.

Public meetings were organized in the villages to raise awareness of the new building and enthusiasm for the scheme spread fast. People from the surrounding area even came to the researchers to ask when a similar facility could be constructed in their villages. Discussions are underway with the local government about expanding the project.

A close-up shot of farmers pouring pesticide into a container for spraying plants.

Asset date 08/07/2014

Country, area, WHO office India

State/Province Tamilnadu State

WHO Region SEARO

Consent Yes

File size 7.91 MB

Visibility class:

Public

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