CRI听力:A Death by Suicide Every 40 Seconds: WHO

The World Health Organization has published its first global report on suicide prevention.

The report estimates there were 800,000 suicide deaths in 2012, with one person committing suicide every 40 seconds.

75 percent of those suicides took place in low and middle-income countries, with Hondurus and North Korea topping the list according to these latest statistics.

Shekhar Saxena is Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at the WHO.

He says a lot can be done to prevent suicides, which he calls a major public health issue.

"The message of the report (is) more about the fact that WHO believes the suicide is preventable. Sometimes people talk higher rate in some countries and lower rate in other countries. Our message (is) that no rate is acceptable, and every suicide is preventable."
 
The report stresses the efficacy of nation-wide stratigies for reducing suicide rates, and calls for more transparent reporting of suicide statistics by the media.

The report comes just days before World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10, which also aims to raise awareness about suicide and to promote global strategies for prevention.