Dubai- Masaader News
As a result of Coronavirus (Covid-19) Impact more than half a million people have accessed online training that aims to prevent suicide, according to BBC.
The Zero Suicide Alliance said 503,000 users completed its online course during lockdown. It aims to help spot the signs that a person may need help.
Million Participants
The surge in demand to complete the suicide prevention programme – funded in part by the Department of Health .
Which it means the Zero Suicide Alliance reached a total of one million participants worldwide since its launch in 2017.
The online training takes around 20 minutes and leads users through the skills they might need to help someone who may be considering suicide, tackling stigma and promoting open communication.
It comes as health leaders warned front-line workers tackling coronavirus could suffer from mental ill health, according to BBC.
True Impact
The alliance’s Joe Rafferty said the true impact of the coronavirus on mental health will not be known until the pandemic ends.
But he said “the stress and worry of the coronavirus will impact people’s mental health”.
“Suicide is a serious public health issue and every single death by suicide devastates families, friends and communities,” he added.
NHS England launched a mental health hotline to support staff last month, said the report.
UK has 6,507 suicides in 2018, with three-quarters of them among men.
Meanwhile, medics are warning the pandemic is likely to lead to long-term mental health conditions.
The NHS Clinical Leaders Network warned of the possible impact of the pandemic on the mental health of front-line and other workers.
The group wrote in a paper released on Monday that past outbreaks show “we can expect notable increases in mental ill health and related issues for front-line workers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic”.