Provide Psychosocial Support to Community in Dealing with Suicide in Sindhupalchowk

Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Nepal, with the support of Australian Aid Direct Aid Program Fund, conducted 11 months program from 1^st October 2016 to 30^th September 2017 on suicide prevention at Sindhupalchowk district. The major objectives of this project were:

• To provide psychosocial support and build capacity to respond psychosocial issue and suicide
• To sensitize community members and stakeholders in psychosocial issues, problems and way out.
• To link with psychosocial support center

Sindhupalchowk was one of the fourteen districts hugely affected by earthquake. Heavy loss of human lives and property affected the mental health of the people leading to noticeable increment in the suicide rate, particularly in ThuloSirubari VDC. The concerned stakeholders, especially District Health Office and District Police Office of Sindhupalchowk approached TPO Nepal, who supported them in preventing suicide in the district. This project complemented the efforts of TPO Nepal in working with Protection Cluster and District Health System.

Psychosocial support was provided by counselors and CPSW in the project areas. Three counselors and five CPSWs were mobilized, who visited homes of people who had lost their family members to suicide. These home visits helped service providers to identify the suicidal ideation of people as well as their relatives who were at risk of committing suicide. The people with suicidal ideation, suicidal attempt and families with past history of suicide were referred for counseling session. Major problems mostly related to depression and anxiety were identified in them. The symptoms commonly observed in the clients were insomnia, loss of appetite, dizziness, worrying about headache and separation anxiety. The clients with past history of suicide in their family expressed feeling of guilt as they were unable to notice the warning signs of suicide.

Government too felt the need of psychosocial support and its integration into health services after the earthquake. TPO supported medications to people who did not have access to mental health services. For the institutionalization, it also supported health posts in providing medicines which were under the essential drug list of government. In addition to this, fourteen counselors, two Super CPSW and one OCMC nurse working in the district were provided five days training which aimed in dealing with suicidal cases.

The training was organized with the objective of properly assessing and identifying suicidal cases and conducting intervention. The training also aimed in the implementation of therapeutic module of intervention process for the people having suicidal ideation and preparation of strategies for suicide prevention. It also supported in providing effective care/support as well as establishing referral mechanisms in the district for suicidal cases. Similarly, it provided an opportunity to link and collaborate the psychosocial issues with counselors working in different areas of the district.

Twelve episodes of radio program was aired from Radio Sindhu and Radio Melamchi, local FMs of Sindhupalchowk for the promotion of psychosocial support. Two FMs were selected as only one of them could not cover the whole district. Each episode was developed with a different theme. The program was produced in docudrama format: drama in the beginning followed by interview of professionals.

Police and journalists were also oriented in suicide prevention. The session was facilitated by psychiatrist Dr. Kamal Gautam. There were twenty one participants in total, which included eight police, eleven journalists and two staffs of District Health Office. Journalists and police were sensitized about techniques of delivering message of suicide which would not provoke others. Group work was done for the discussion on preventive measures of suicide. The concerned authorities then provided assurance to work for the prevention of suicide in their community. Journalists were committed not to publish materials in media which could provoke suicide and the police expressed commitment to support suicide cases and to deal with it as a mental health issue.

Similarly, community and district level sensitization program was organized on psychosocial and suicide issues. The community sensitization was conducted by CPSWs in their concerned VDCs with the support of counselors. In this phase, schools were also targeted for the orientation. The psycho education sessions focused on psychosocial issues, ways to handle it and identification of client having suicidal problem.

Radio Program:

1. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #01) Take initiation
2. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #02) Role of Family Members
3. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #03) Situation of family after suicide
4. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #04) Social media can be a cause of suicide
5. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #05) Multi layers effort to prevent suicide
6. Bache Sansar Jitincha – Phase I (Episode #06) Parents of suicide survival children
7. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #07) How can I care my mental health
8. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #08) Second Part How can I care my mental health
9. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #09) Conversion disorder First
10. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #10) Conversion disorder Second
11. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #11) Conversion disorder III
12. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #12) Psychosocial health problem and gastrict
13. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #13) Psychological health during natural disaster
14. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #14) Resilience in natural disasters
15. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #15) Sexual harassment during emergency
16. Bache Sansar Jitinchha – Phase I (Episode #16) Human Trafficking After Disasters
17. Bache Sansar Jitinchha Phase I (Episode #17) Human Trafficking After Disasters 2nd part
18. Bache Sansar Jitinchha Phase I (Episode #18) Postpartum Depression

Conference presentation:

1. Radio program as awareness tools in suicide prevention

Press and media:

1. विकराल बन्दै आत्महत्या