The World Health Organisation has said no fewer than 800,000 people commit suicide annually, the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 15 and 29, in 2016.
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WHO made this known in a statement to commemorate the World Suicide Prevention Day, yesterday.
The global health agency said the common methods of suicide were hanging and firearms occurring in all countries and regions, whether rich or poor.
It added, however, that most occurred in low and middle-income countries, which accounted almost four-fifths of global suicides in 2016.
“In high-income countries, there is a well-established link between suicide and mental health issues such as depression and alcohol use disorders.
“But many suicides take place on an impulse during moments of crisis,” it said.
The UN health agencies estimated that a person died every 40 seconds by suicide and up to 25 times as many make a suicide attempt. To help communities to prevent suicides, WHO and the Mental Health Commission of Canada released a toolkit.