The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the amendment of the National Mental Health Act to allow for the decriminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria.
The Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammed Pate, speaking after the meeting, said suicide is a major public health concern in Nigeria, with the World Health Organisation estimating more than 7,000 deaths annually, with an estimated 300,000 suicide attempts across the country each year.
