The president of Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), Professor James Obindo, has advised against punitive measures against people who attempt suicide.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Abuja, Mr Obindo gave his insight on the country’s proposed constitutional amendment, particularly as it affects punitive measures for attempted suicide, Correctional Service Bill and advocacy for passage of the Mental Health and substance Bill in the country.

The expert urged the government to decriminalise attempted suicide, adding that instead of punishing people who attempt to take their lives, they should be sent for medical attention.

“This bill talks about how to have a humane and globally accepted way of taking care of those who are mentally ill. What should be done is how the government is meant to fund and see to the wellbeing of those who are mentally ill.

“One of the other areas that need to be looked at is the criminal act CAP 237, which criminalises those who attempt to take their lives and that needs to be removed immediately. Those who attempt to take their lives are jailed for one year.

“Are we punishing them for being ill, or for the socio-economic problems in the country? No, we shouldn’t. What should be done is that they should be referred for medical attention, a psychiatric assessment.

“Even Ghana and Kenya have decriminalised suicide attempts. We are pleading with the good people of the country and all stakeholders to rise up and see that the ill among us are properly and humanely attended to,” he noted.

He also urged the government to speedily pass the mental health bill to protect the right of mentally ill persons in the society, to be treated humanely and with care.

“The Lunacy Act looks at those who are mentally ill as being aggressive, nuisance and someone that needs to be kept in an asylum, away from the community.

“Rather than taking care of those that are mentally ill, the law tends to protect the community against them. Therefore, we felt that that law needed a review.

“As we talk now, the mental health bill has been passed by both the Senate and House of Representatives and has been harmonised and is now before the President for his assent. This has been between 2020 and early 2021,” he said.

Mr Obindo added that about 90 per cent of those who attempted to take their lives are known to have psychiatric problems.

He noted that out of the figure, 80 per cent are as a result of depression. Others, he said, are because of the socio-economic conditions in the country. 

(NAN)