78th WHA Individual Statements
We commend the World Health Organization for promoting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as a pathway to accessible mental health services and achieving SDG target 3.4.2. Mental health and suicide prevention must be core components of UHC, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where 73% of suicides occur and most of the world’s adolescents live.
We urge Member States to integrate suicide indicators into health information systems to improve monitoring and service delivery. National Suicide Prevention Strategies are essential, providing structured, evidence-based responses rooted in community engagement.
Suicide prevention services—crisis helplines, awareness campaigns, and postvention—must be part of comprehensive, culturally responsive care. Involving people with lived experience ensures relevance and impact.
Finally, decriminalising suicide is critical to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking, advancing health equity and the right to care for all.