Join a Webinar: Suicide Prevention in South Asia
Collectively, the South Asia region accounts for more than 200,000 of the estimated 700,000 global suicide deaths. India contributes 177,567 deaths, followed by Pakistan with 13,506 suicides. Sri Lanka has the highest suicide rates (14/100,000), followed by India (12.6/100,000) and Nepal (10.1/100,000). Yet suicide prevention remains under-prioritised due to stigma, limited data, and insufficient regional collaboration.
Few countries in South Asia currently have a national suicide prevention strategy.There is, therefore, an urgent need for a dedicated platform to foster knowledge-sharing, build capacity, and coordinate culturally sensitive engagement with suicide prevention.
This webinar, hosted by Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI), aims to create a regional dialogue on suicide prevention by bringing together experts from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
The aim: Through cross-country perspectives, the discussion will highlight both challenges and successes in prevention efforts, while underscoring the importance of collaborative, context-specific approaches.
Event Details: Webinar on Tuesday September 23 at 3:30 pm
List of speakers:
Dr Murad Khan, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Aga Khan University
Dr Rakhi Dandona – Director of the Injury Prevention Research Centre at the Public Health at the Public Health Foundation of India
Dr S M Yasir Arafat – Associate Consultant of Psychiatry at Bangladesh Specialised Hospital
Matrika Prasad Devkota – Vice President, TCI Global.
Dr Thilini Rajapakse – Professor of Psychiatry, University of Peradeniya
Moderator: Amrita Tripathi – Author, Journalist, and Mental Health Advocate
Free to attend but registration is mandatory: Register here
Please note that if you or anyone you know feels distressed you can reach out for help. Third-party helplines are listed here. We have also shared some South Asian helplines for diaspora here. You are not alone.
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