2ND LEAD (CORRECTION)

4 suicides daily in Vanni: psycho-social consultant

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 November 2010, 09:41 GMT]
An increase in suicides is reported in the one time war zones in the Northern Province and an average of four people attempt to commit suicide daily, according to the Sunday leader weekly in its November 07 edition quoting a psycho-social consultant from the Vanni, Dr. Thayalini Thiagarajah. “Many people in the North are still highly traumatized. People are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, depression, acute stress disorder, and other mental diseases,” she said.

“The suicidal rate is high, especially among women. At present, around 500 patients with mental illness have been identified. According to sources from Ki'linochchi hospital, four people commit suicide daily,” Dr. Thiagarajah pointed out.

There are thousands of young widows currently in the Vanni. What is worse, those identified as suffering from mental illness in the Vanni, often find it difficult to get treatment. This is because there is an acute dearth for psychiatrists, counselors and social workers in the Vanni, according to Thiagarajah.

“How long is it going to take for people to have ‘holistic healing’ and lead a normal life? May be a couple of generations,” she said to the Sunday Leader.