The World Health Organisation has raised alarm over the growing mental health crisis, revealing that suicide now accounts for more than one in every 100 deaths worldwide.
Speaking on Tuesday while presenting the World Mental Health Today report, Devora Kestel, interim head of WHO’s Non-Communicable Disease and Mental Health Department, said:
“Globally, suicide accounts for more than one in every 100 deaths, and for each life lost, there are at least 20 attempts. Each case leaves behind families and communities struggling with deep emotional and social consequences.”
According to WHO, an estimated 727,000 people died by suicide in 2021, the most recent year with available data. The report described suicide as one of the leading causes of death among young people, cutting across regions and economic backgrounds.
In that year, suicide was identified as the second leading cause of death for females aged 15–29 and the third for males in the same age group.
Despite a 35 per cent global reduction in suicide rates between 2000 and 2021, WHO cautioned that progress was falling short of international targets. Instead of a one-third reduction in suicide rates by 2030, current trends suggest only a 12 per cent decrease will be achieved.
The organisation also highlighted regional disparities. While suicide rates dropped in most parts of the world, the Americas recorded a 17 per cent increase over the same period. Nearly three-quarters of suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries.
Mark van Ommeren, head of WHO’s Mental Health Unit, noted that young people are particularly vulnerable. “The two main factors we are studying closely are the impact of social media and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he explained.
WHO’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stressed that urgent action is needed to prevent more tragedies.
“Transforming mental health services is one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time,” he said. “It is unacceptable that only nine per cent of people living with depression receive any form of treatment, while government spending on mental health has stagnated at just two per cent of health budgets since 2017.”