President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday joined the national campaign to prevent suicide, saying he hoped the number of suicides would continue to drop to its lowest this year.
Ma said that while many factors contributed to suicide, the “psychological disease” could be prevented. In 1994, more than 1,450 people took their own lives, Ma said. The number jumped to 2,471 in 2000 and 4,406 in 2006, he said.
“Remember the number 4,406,” Ma said. “It is not the world’s highest, but it is the highest in the modern history of Taiwan.”
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Fortunately, the number began to fall since 2006, he said. The first half of this year saw 250 less people commit suicide compared with the same period last year, Ma said, adding that he hoped to see the number decrease further to the 2006 level.
To that end, Ma said his administration could continue to improve the economy, create jobs, increase family income, lower unemployment and narrow poverty disparity.
Social welfare programs were equally important, he said, and the key was to offer timely assistance at critical moments.
Parents and teachers must also educate their children to cherish life because when they began to care about other people, they would be less likely to choose to end their own lives.
Exercise would also help individuals develop a healthier mind and body, he said, because it would not only make them feel happy, but also lose weight.
Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良) said the Executive Yuan established the Taiwan Suicide Prevention Center in 2005 to provide 24-hour hotline services. The suicide rate has declined from a peak of 19.3 persons per 100,000 in 2006 to 17.6 last year, he said.
With World Suicide Prevention Day on Friday approaching, Yang urged the public to join the nationwide campaign to care about the people around them and offer a helping hand at a critical time.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said the legislature would do its best to enact or amend laws should it be necessary.
“Committing suicide does not resolve problems,” he said. “Everybody can do a little to help and it just takes extra attention and care about the people around you.”
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