Community collaboration, key to curbing suicide, building healthy nation — Expert

By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The Executive Director, Nigeria Heart Foundation, Dr. Kingsley Akinroye, who chaired the Mental Health Summit 3.0 organized by Vanguard Media Limited, has called for stronger community structures and collective action from all stakeholders to tackle the growing menace of suicide among young people in Nigeria.

Speaking on the theme, “Taming the Rising Tide of Suicide in Nigeria” with sub themeed “Substance and Silence — Unmasking the Dual Crisis of Addiction and Suicide,” Akinroye described suicide as a silent epidemic that continues to claim lives, particularly within the youth population.

He noted that young people constitute the largest bracket in the suicide chain, stressing that mental health challenges and substance abuse have become intertwined social crises that require urgent attention.

“There is an urgent need to build the backbone of community support. We need community structures from the primary healthcare level, with trained human resources capable of identifying and responding to early signs of mental distress,” he said.
According to him, while government policies and institutional reforms are critical, the real change must begin at the community level where individuals live, interact, and find belonging.

Akinroye emphasized that the fight against mental health crises cannot be left to medical professionals alone. He called for collaboration among schools, religious bodies, families, and local governments to establish support systems that will foster mental resilience among young Nigerians.

“We must drive collaborations to achieve a healthy nation. Mental health is not just a medical issue, it is a community issue, a national development issue. When our young people are mentally healthy, our nation thrives,” he added.

He further urged that mental health education be integrated into community and school programs, while also encouraging open conversations to break the silence and stigma around suicide and addiction.

The Mental Health Summit 3.0 brought together mental health professionals, educators, policymakers, and advocates to examine the growing rate of suicide and substance abuse, and to chart sustainable pathways toward prevention and care.

As experts agreed, building a mentally healthy nation begins with community collaboration where every Nigerian becomes part of the solution.

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