World Suicide Prevention Day
September 10 marks the annual World Suicide Prevention Day launched by the World Health Organization (WHO). In view of this day, various organizations present their activities. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) is launching an online platform with practical examples, the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) is offering a platform for the exchange of experience and coordination at a conference, and from the perspective of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the measures implemented in the prevention of rail suicides have proven their worth.
Every day, two to three people die by suicide in Switzerland. Every third death among young men is a Suicide, one in five among young women. The highest suicide rate is among men over 75. Every day, 20 to 30 people receive medical care after suicide attempts. A suicide attempt often occurs in a state of psychological emergency. Most suicidal people do not want to die. The Crises are usually temporary and anyone can be affected.
New online platform for practical examples from all over Switzerland
As part of the National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention adopted by the Confederation and the cantons in 2016, the FOPH is launching an online platform on September 10. On this platform, practical examples from all over Switzerland will be presented. The aim is to strengthen the exchange between the various players in suicide prevention and to show the diversity of activities.
At the conference on "Suicide Prevention in Agriculture", the FOAG brings together prevention experts and people from the farming community with the aim of exchanging knowledge and finding ways to coordinate activities and services.
SBB takes stock
In recent years, SBB has implemented a plan of measures to reduce the number of Rail Suicides to reduce. It takes stock in a dossier. The measures have proved effective, even if their impact can only be determined in the long term. In addition to low-key information about rail suicides and raising employee awareness of the issue, structural measures have also proved useful. SBB will continue its prevention efforts and place the emphasis on measures that are directly related to rail operations.
Text: FOPH Federal Office of Public Health www.bag.admin.ch
Links and info about the campaign
- Online_platform BAG
- Conference on suicide prevention in agriculture on 10.9.2018 in Zollikofen (BE)
- SBB "rail suicide" dossier
More links and info from the editors
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