Chief Psychiatrist wants suicide decriminalized

Ghana’s Chief Psychiatrist Dr. Akwasi Osei is advocating the decriminalization of suicide as one of the ways to effectively reduce the rate of occurrence in the country.

He said prosecuting people for attempted suicide is rather counterproductive.

Dr. Osei’s comments come as the world marks international suicide prevention day.

The day is being commemorated to highlight the issues of suicide and create awareness on preventing the act.

Speaking to XYZ News, Dr. Osei said maintaining the status quo on suicide will only push people to the limit.

“About 93 per cent of suicide attempts are from psychiatric problems…so suicide whether attempted or completed is a mental health problem so if you criminalize suicide then you are criminalizing mental illness,” Dr. Akwasi Osei said.