The mention of Namibia conjures up the image of freedom fighting especially under the legendary Sam Nujoma. Despite the great promise that the country had at independence, it has tragically failed to live up to its great potential.

At the moment, it is currently battling a plethora of challenges ranging from massive youth unemployment to insecurity and hyperinflation. Tragically, it has all the indices of a failed state and is tottering on the brink of an imminent collapse if her political elite continue to pay lip service to its plight.

The latest crisis on her hands now is that of the rising cases of suicide especially among her disillusioned and beleaguered youths whose future has sadly been stolen by her selfish and heartless elders who have no iota of shame in pilfering the commonwealth meant for the benefit of all.

According to NewsGhana.com, Namibia’s latest national suicide statistics reveal that 559 people committed suicide between January 2021 and May 2022, with the bulk of the cases being both adult and juvenile males, an official said Wednesday.

The numbers continue to spike despite the southwestern African nation’s suicide prevention task force launched last year to deal with the rising number of suicide cases.

“The national statistics are very concerning, and this is an indication that all of us need to respond to suicidal behaviors. Different interventions with men and boys are strongly required in this case,” said Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services Esther Muinjangue on the occasion of a Khomas Suicide Prevention Taskforce awareness event in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.

According to Muinjangue, the regional suicide statistics from January 2021 to May 2022 showed all 14 regions recorded suicide cases, with the Omusati Region topping the list with 105 incidents, Ohangwena in the second position with 100 cases, and Khomas region coming in third with 80 cases.

It is important to note that the three regions, Omusati, Ohangwena, and Khomas also reported the highest number of suicides from January 2020 to June 2021, she said.

“Based on this, Omusati, Ohangwena, and Khomas regions need to double their efforts in the prevention of suicidal behavior. However, all of us need to join hands in the fight against suicide in our country,” she said.

According to Muinjangue, there also has been a dramatic rise in the frequency and magnitude of suicide and mental health incidents such as emotional, psychological, and social well-being of people in the country recently, threatening large populations living in diverse communities.

“If these trends continue, the costs associated with suicide and negative mental health incidents will continue to increase and place more people at risk,” she said.

“Suicide is 100 percent preventable; Namibia has a low population compared to other countries, and hence the health ministry and the taskforce have prioritized efforts to prevent suicide in the country,” she said, adding that the government and some non-governmental organizations have made provisions for emergency and psychosocial support services where anyone can go for help.

This is an African tragedy of gargantuan proportion as it is an indictment of her inept leadership. This scary statistic should serve as a sturdy call to action for other African countries to rally round her in the spirit of black solidarity and brotherhood in order to stem this ugly tide.

This is the raison d’etre behind the formation of the African Union – mutual aid for African nations and so fellow African countries shouldn’t stand by and watch Namibia’s youths dispatch themselves to their maker sometimes in the most brutal and bizarre of ways.

Namibia should be shown much love in these trying times of theirs as suicide is highly unAfrican and an aberration in the world’s second largest continent which is arguably the warmest when it comes to human relations in the world. Suicide is clearly a departure from the African norm and this trend must be stopped for the overall good of all and in the continent’s best interest before it diffuses to all its nooks and crannies in a manner that would make the Arab Spring look like child’s play.

Namibia must be saved; let all Africans both in the continent and Diaspora spare a thought for her.

Thank God Its Friday; have a swell weekend all!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/08/26/alarm-namibia-battles-with-high-suicide-cases-by-tony-ademiluyi/

God have mercy. Africa my Africa, first to comment though.

Everything is just wrong with africa. I wonder when africa will get it right.