Dubai: While the suicide rate is comparatively low in the UAE compared to its rising incidence worldwide, it is important to take preventive steps to maintain this and also check a rise in suicides among the migrants from the Indian subcontinent. This was discussed in detail at the second annual suicide prevention conference organised by the Emirates Psychiatric Society in Dubai.
Elaborating, Dr Adel Karani, chairman of the conference and President of the Emirates Psychiatric Society said: “Our main intention in holding the conference was three fold. First, to develop the skills of the clinicians, psychologist and doctors to deal better with self harming individuals. Second, to act early inorder to keep the suicide rates low as the current numbers of suicides in the UAE remains lower compared to the international rates. Third, we would like to work toward developing health services that can protect, help and work constructively to assist those who might be self harming,” he said.
Dr Karani added: “Right now when an individual feels suicidal, he or she can contact the emergency services of a government hospital as these health care workers do attend to such cases. However, we are encouraging big organisations with over 500 migrant workers to have a special interventional service for assisting their employees in cases like these. Eventually the best option would be to have a toll free number where someone who is suicidal can call and ask for help,” he said.
Over 100 representatives from the international forums of pyschologists and care givers attended the conference and many experts presented constructive suggestions towards mitigating the problem. The chief speaker was Alan Burman, former president of the International Association of Suicide Prevention.
