Singapore recorded its highest suicide tally since 2000, indicating a rise in mental distress from factors including social pressures and economic uncertainty, a report by non-profit Samaritans of Singapore Ltd said.
The city-state reported a total of 476 suicides in 2022, with a notable increase among youth and the elderly, SOS said in a statement on its website. Suicide was the leading cause of death for 10 to 29 year-olds in the country for the fourth consecutive year, constituting nearly 39% of the total for the age group.
The rise in deaths highlights the significance of mental-health issues and awareness. The World Health Organization has set a target to bring down the global suicide rate by a third by 2030. An estimated 703,000 people died by suicide in 2019, making it one of the leading causes of death worldwide, according to a WHO report.
The WHO estimates that the current global rate of decline — a 36% drop in the 20 years through 2019 — is still too slow to meet the 2030 target.
