Ministry of Home Affairs and KU sign MoU on study and research on suicide prevention

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Mental Health Department of Kathmandu University (KU) have signed a memorandum of understanding on study and research on mental health-related topics.

Head of the Ministry's Disaster Division, Dr Tok Raj Pandey and Head of KU's Department of Mental Health, Dr Deepak Kunwar today signed on the MoU on behalf of their respective departments.

On the occasion, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak expressed the belief that the MoU reached between the Ministry and the KU would contribute towards prevention and minimization of suicide cases.

He hoped that suicide cases could be reduced in significant numbers through the joint initiatives of the Ministry and KU.

"The topic of suicide is serious. I get nervous and anxious when I look up the daily record on suicide. Thirty-seven people have attempted suicide in the last 24 hours alone and of them 11 have died. There is risk of the remaining 26 people who were rescued attempting suicide any time," he said.

The Home Minister said the KU shall carry out study and research on the reasons and causes of suicides and ways of diagnosing them.

According to him, the KU Department of Mental Health will provide psychological counseling to the vulnerable people through telemedicine. The Department will also provide basic training on suicide control and reduction.

Home Minister Lekhak shared on the occasion that a mobile app related to prevention and control of suicide would be developed after some time, and all the information would be included in this app.

He also directed the bodies concerned to make a periodic evaluation every three months on minimization of suicide.

Head of the KU's Department of Mental Health Kunwar said that the MoU with the Home Ministry has created a condition in which KU can now carry out works on minimization of suicides outside the Kathmandu Valley as well.

"We can reach to far-flung areas as well through telemedicine service. We can give better results working together with the Home Ministry," he added.