The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently unveiled the National Suicide Prevention Strategy – India’s first suicide prevention policy.

• National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) aims to reduce suicide mortality by 10 per cent by 2030 through timely actions and multi-sectoral collaborations.

The national strategy has several objectives. These are:

1. Set up effective surveillance mechanisms for suicides within the next 3 years
2. Establish psychiatric outpatient departments that provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Programme in all states within 5 years
3. Integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next 8 years