Depression accounts for 90 per cent suicides: IGMC Principal

Shimla, Oct 12 (UNI) Patients suffering from depression, schizophrenia and alcoholism account for 90 per cent suicide cases in the country, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) Principal Surender Kashyap said.

Presiding over the ''World Mental Health Day'' function organised here yesterday, he stressed the need for collective efforts for reducing the frequency of mental disorders and suicide cases.

Prof Kashyap said even the World Health Organization (WHO) have held suicides to be the leading form of premature and preventable deaths in the world.

He said it had also decided to support the World Federation for Mental Health's World Mental Health Day, which focuses this year on 'Building Awareness-Reducing Risk: Mental Illness and Suicide'.

Psychiatry Department Head Ravi C Sharma stressed the need to provide awareness and reduce the number of suicidal cases, while advising timely and proper treatment of mentally-ill people.

A recent WHO study in 14 countries showed that in developing countries between 76 to 85 per cent serious cases of mental illness did not receive any kind of treatment, Dr Sharma said.

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