Preventing child and adolescent suicide in Africa and developing nations; taking action towards early detection of bullying

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Wireko Andrew Awuah, a Ghanaian medical student at Sumy State University, Ukraine. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Children and adolescents across Africa and non-industrial nations, go through a great deal of difficulties in life which might prompt self-destruction. A portion of the variables which might prompt juvenile and youth self-destruction incorporate;

(1) Socio – Economic Factors; Children and adolescents from poor, vulnerable, deprived, and marginalized families and societies are more likely to be prone to suicide. This is on the grounds that such youths do not have the fundamental necessities of existence with some of them additionally having low regard. The circumstance is much more dreadful for young people in helpless African and non-industrial nations. They go through a great deal of hardships to empower them to get their essential requirements met. Dissatisfaction in the existence of such kids might prompt self-destructive propensities.

(2) Outmoded Cultural and Traditional Practices: Youngsters, who were lamentably brought into the world with birth imperfections such as cerebral palsy, and mental imbalance among others, face stigma in certain social orders in Africa and elsewhere. Those social orders, out of obliviousness, consider such to be disfigurements as legends, otherworldly and offbeat, as indicated by their custom and conventional convictions. The disgrace, looked upon by influenced youngsters and juveniles, may later on in their lives lead to self-destruction by the individuals who can’t withstand such dehumanizing derision.

Youngster and juvenile marriage are one more antiquated social and customary practice which might mentally affect kids and young adults, especially the people who are constrained by their families and social orders into such connections. Little kids who oppose juvenile marriage and don’t get social assurance from the state or common society associations, may wind up with self-destruction because of the mental injury they go through.

(3) Mental Health Disorders: A few youngsters go through different types of mental problems. A portion of the emotional wellness challenges they go through include; sadness, stress, depression and many others. Those unfit to find support from psychological well-being experts might wind up with self-destruction.

To forestall youngster and juvenile self-destruction, there needs to be an all-encompassing way to deal with tackling the underlying drivers, including bullying. Useful advances which can be taken to solve the problem is;

(a) Empowering casualties and those undermined with harassment and different types of maltreatment to answer to the fitting law implementation and social government assistance experts for proper moves to be made.

(b) Viable state funded training and sharpening programs for kids and young adults to oppose and report such terrible practices to the suitable specialists.

(c) Developing family holding and qualities, like winning the trust of kids and young adults, which would empower casualties and those undermined with harassment, to open up to their families and close partners.

Each work ought to be made by all nations to offer exceptionally compelling social help frameworks and administrations for their youngsters and teenagers. The world should meet up to discover down to earth ways of forestalling kid and juvenile suicide just as make a move towards the early location of bullying.

About the author

Wireko Andrew Awuah is a Ghanaian medical student at Sumy State University, Ukraine. His huge involvements into scientific research works has earned him reputable awards like the best International Medical Student Award 2020 at Sumy State University.