Namibia is facing an inconvenient truth, one we have been too timid to confront head-on: suicide is claiming lives at an alarming rate. Among those who have chosen this tragic path are not only men and women buckling under social and economic strain, but children, our children. Every report of a life cut short is not merely a statistic, but a devastating rupture in families, communities, and the nation’s future. And yet, as the suicide rate climbs, our national response remains timid, fragmented, and inadequate.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was correct to express concern about suicides in her recent address. But concern alone is not a strategy. It is not enough to acknowledge the problem; leaders must announce clear steps to address it. Thoughts and prayers, no matter how sincere, cannot substitute for policies, resources, and programs. A national crisis requires a national plan.
A wound that spreads beyond the victim
The recasting effects of suicide ripple far beyond the individual. For the family left behind, grief is tangled with guilt, shame, and endless “what ifs.” Parents who lose a child to suicide rarely recover from the crushing self-blame. Siblings are scarred for life. Friends who suspected distress but failed to intervene carry the burden of silence. Communities stigmatize and whisper, creating further isolation. Suicide is not a single tragedy; it is a multiplying one.
When children end their lives, the indictment on society is even harsher. What kind of despair drives a 12-year-old or a teenager to decide that death is preferable to life? What pressures are so crushing that the promise of tomorrow feels like a punishment? These questions demand answers, not platitudes.
A country in denial
Namibia has one of the highest suicide rates in Africa, yet the national discourse around it remains muted. Government speeches skim the surface. NGOs and churches issue statements of sympathy. Families bury their dead quietly, too often silenced by stigma. The media reports the numbers but rarely sustains a campaign to force accountability. Meanwhile, suicide tightens its grip on the nation’s psyche.
We cannot continue to treat suicide as a side note in speeches, a passing concern to be revisited when another cluster of cases shocks us into temporary attention. This is not just a health issue, it is a national emergency.
What should be done
If the President’s speech had matched concern with concrete action, it would have offered a lifeline to thousands of Namibians who are quietly battling despair. Here are examples of urgent measures that government, working with civil society, can and must take:
- National suicide prevention strategy
Namibia needs a comprehensive, government-led strategy that places suicide prevention at the heart of public health. This must include measurable targets, dedicated funding, and regular reporting. Without a strategy, we are groping in the dark. - School-based mental health programmes
Children and teenagers must be taught to recognise and articulate their emotions. Schools should have trained counsellors, not just teachers doubling up without resources. Life skills curricula must go beyond academic pressures to teach coping mechanisms, resilience, and peer support. - 24/7 suicide hotlines
A fully staffed, multilingual national hotline accessible by phone, text, and online should be launched. In moments of crisis, people need immediate access to a trained ear. Other countries have proven that hotlines save lives. Namibia cannot afford excuses on this front. - Community-based support
Rural communities, where access to professional services is scarce, should have trained community health workers equipped to recognise suicidal behaviour and intervene. Churches, often the first line of support, must receive training to go beyond prayer and offer practical guidance. - Restricting access to lethal means
Data shows many suicides in Namibia are carried out using pesticides or firearms. Regulation and safe storage campaigns can reduce impulsive acts. Where access is limited, lives are often saved. - Addressing root causes
Suicide is often the final symptom of deeper crises: poverty, unemployment, gender-based violence, substance abuse, and fractured families. Suicide prevention must therefore be integrated into broader social and economic development policies. Treating the symptom without addressing the cause will fail. - Destigmatisation Campaigns
Public campaigns should dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health. When people know it is acceptable to seek help, they are more likely to reach out. Silence is suicide’s greatest ally.
A moral and political obligation
Namibia has shown before that it can mobilize against national threats. We fought HIV/AIDS with vigor, establishing testing centers, awareness campaigns, and access to treatment. We took COVID-19 seriously, setting up emergency task forces and public health protocols. Why then are we so lethargic in facing suicide, a crisis that is robbing us of our children, our workers, and our elders?
Every suicide is a statement about the failure of our collective compassion and our national systems. A government that promises to build a prosperous Namibia must recognise that prosperity is meaningless if citizens do not want to live to see it.
The cost of inaction
The economic cost of suicide is staggering: lost productivity, increased healthcare expenditure for survivors of attempts, and the burden on social services. But the moral cost is incalculable. How many leaders can attend funerals, offer condolences, and yet remain unmoved to change policy? How many more families must bury their children before action is taken?
Arresting the situation now
The time for “concern” has passed. The time for action is now. Let the next presidential speech not only mourn the dead but announce a funded, detailed program to save the living. Let ministries stop working in silos and instead coordinate health, education, police, and community leaders around a common mission. Let us refuse to normalize headlines about children taking their lives.
Namibia must wake up to its inconvenient truth: we are losing our people to a preventable crisis. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. Words must become policies, and policies must become action. Only then can we begin to stem the tide of despair and offer our citizens not just the gift of life, but the will to live it.
