Ashanti region records marginal increase in attempted suicide cases

The Ashanti region has seen an increase in reported cases of attempted suicide over the last three years.

The region saw its attempted suicide cases increase from 18 in 2023 to 63 in 2025 between January and June over the same period.

But health authorities are more concerned about what they say are deliberate attempts by the public to conceal information on suicides.

Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng told a World Suicide Prevention Day commemorative event on September 10, 2024 the situation calls for concerted efforts by all to end the canker.

“The Ashanti region as one of the most populous regions in the country has witnessed a concerning marginally rise in cases of mental health disorders and suicide-related incidents particularly among the youth and working age population.”

The Ashanti region saw 18 attempted cases recorded between January and June 2023, which increased to 63 in 2025, with completed cases increasing from 5 to 7 over the same period.

Seventy-nine percent of the cases were recorded among men.

Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng says despite attempted suicide being decriminalized, stigmatization remains high in the region.

“Under-reporting remains a serious issue due to stigma and criminalization of suicide attempt before 2023. Families often conceal suicide as accidental death to avoid legal or social repercussions.” Dr. Adomako-Boateng added.

His concerns come as the region sees a marginal rise in mental disorders and suicide-related incidents, especially among the youth and working age.

“Many of these tragedies are linked to depression, substance abuse, financial distress, social isolation and stigma surrounding mental illness,” Dr. Adomako-Boateng explained.

Despite what appears to be low figures, health authorities are not enthused.

Ashanti Regional Psychiatrist, Dr. Francis Oppong, says religious and cultural beliefs, family status, and other factors are pushing more people to conceal vital information on suicide.

“In my hometown, it is a taboo to kill yourself. If you kill yourself, your corpse is not brought to even the church building for burial service or even to your own house for the family to perform any rite. So because of this, it’s a disgrace to the family and so families will want to avoid this disgrace. And so they will actively and deliberately try and conceal suicide.”

Meanwhile, health authorities have announced plans to expand mental health services to all parts of the region through the integration of mental health into primary healthcare.

Ashanti Regional Health Director Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng  said, “We are going to give an assessment score, assessment checklist to almost all and I’m happy we have the regional mental health focal person and the regional psychiatrists here who are leading that activity and what we are here doing is we are increasing public education and awareness to challenge stigma and promote early intervention, strengthening partnership with schools, religious institutions, community leaders and civil society organizations to provide support system for the vulnerable individuals and then establishing a confidential support channels including helplines and community-based mental health outreach programmes.”

More health personnel are being trained in mental health and suicide risk, while a dedicated VVIP ward has been set up at the Kumasi South Hospital under its Employee Assistance Program to cater for health practitioners’ mental health.

“When it comes to Ghana Health Service, we have a hallmark intervention which we term employee assistance programme, EAP, which we have designated the regional hospital Kumasi Sao to be the centre of this intervention and in this intervention, any health worker, any challenge that you are having, we have trained people there who will be able to take care of you, any mental issues, any other issue,” he added.