Amiso Counselling Service has joined calls for the Malawi to decriminalize attempted suicide saying mental health is a health issue.

Attempting suicide is illegal under Section 229 of the Malawi’s Penal Code and the offence attracts a maximum of two years in prison.

In an interview with the publication, team leader for Amiso Counselling Service Ganizani Lameck Misomali said survivors need psycho-social support and not punishment.

“If we understand that mental health is a health issue; we better stop throwing people to jail because they are ill. Being suicidal is one of depression signs.

“The same way Malaria penitents are assisted with love; the suicide survivors need psycho-social support and not punishment,” said Misomali.

According to Misomali, criminalizing suicide attempts is a clear sign of stigma towards mental health saying: “Punishing penitents as criminals worsens their mental well-being as now they have multiple issues to struggle with,”

Last year, Member of Parliament for Lilongwe South Peter Dimba also asked parliament to decriminalize attempted suicide.

In his wisdom, Dimba said people involved in attempted suicide tend to be mentally unstable and deserving support and not punishment.

In at least 17 countries, according to Guardian Newspaper, suicide remains a criminal offence – a ‘huge barrier’ to mental health care, reports the Guardian newspaper.

Research shows that in countries where suicide has been decriminalized, people can seek help for mental health and rates tend to then decline.

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