A total of 285 people have committed suicide in 2022 over mental health in Rwanda, according to a police report obtained by APA on Saturday.
The spokesperson of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Dr. Thierry Murangira, said total of 576 cases were registered in 2020-2021 and 291 cases registered in 2019-2020 as well as 285 cases registered this year.
According to Murangira, the major cause of suicide is attributed to incurable illness with which the patients decide to take their lives to relieve both mental and financial burden on their families among other factors like loss of jobs and toxic relationships.
“Some may take it as a heroic move to commit suicide because they want to take away the financial burden on their families,” Murangira told the national broadcaster, RBA.
With statistics released in 2019, Nyagatare topped with 7% of suicide cases, followed by Gasabo with 6%, Gicumbi 6%, Rutsiro 6% and Karongi with 5%.
On reasons of suicide, 2% were found to have killed themselves because of failed relationships, 2% committed suicide because of extreme poverty, 2% killed themselves because of debts and 2% committed suicide because of severe commercial losses.
Men account for 82% of the cases country wide, it said.
CU/as/APA