Guyana mobilises 800+ counsellors and gatekeepers in nationwide push for suicide prevention

On World Suicide Prevention Day, Guyana showcased sweeping efforts to strengthen mental health services and suicide prevention, with more than 130 school-based counsellors and 700 trained gatekeepers now actively engaged across the country.
Themed “Changing the Narrative on Suicide – Start the Conversation”, both the Education Ministry and the Health Ministry outlined current measures to tackle one of Guyana’s most pressing public health challenges.
At the school level, counselling has been expanded to 97 of the nation’s 117 secondary schools, ensuring that students have access to confidential psychosocial support.
This plays a major role in helping students by promoting emotional well-being, improving academic performance, building coping skills, reducing mental health issues like stress and anxiety, and fostering positive social interactions. According to the Ministry of Education, the trust inherent in confidentiality encourages students to seek help for trauma, navigate challenges, and realise their full potential in both their personal and academic lives.
In fact, on Wednesday, students across the country turned their classrooms into powerful spaces of awareness and hope. Dressed in yellow to honour this year’s theme, they created posters carrying messages of strength and support, while others stood in quiet reflection, holding moments of silence for the lives cut short by suicide.
Among them were students from Queen’s College, Mora Point Nursery, Diamond Secondary, East Ruimveldt Secondary, Three Miles Secondary, Patentia Secondary and Friendship Secondary School.
In a release issued on MOE, it explained that it “continues to strengthen partnerships with parents, teachers, and community stakeholders to raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma, and promote help-seeking behaviours. Ongoing training and capacity building for teachers and counsellors also ensure that early signs of distress can be identified and addressed in a timely manner.”
Against this backdrop, “the Ministry of Education reaffirms its dedication to nurturing not only academic excellence but also the holistic well-being of every learner. On this World Suicide Prevention Day, we encourage all Guyanese to remember that every conversation, every act of kindness, and every gesture of support can save a life”.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health highlighted sweeping reforms and new infrastructure aimed at nationwide suicide prevention. Among the milestones is the Suicide Prevention Act of 2022, which decriminalised attempted suicide and paved the way for a national, multi-sectoral commission. This was followed by the launch of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan (2024–2030) and Guyana’s first 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Helpline – 915 in May 2025.
In addition, 757 “gatekeepers” have been trained across all 10 regions to identify early signs of suicidal behaviour and connect individuals with professional help. Telemedicine sites, new regional hospitals, and primary care facilities have also been equipped to deliver mental health services, bringing support to remote communities.
The Ministry of Health also launched the National Suicide Surveillance System this year, providing real-time data to guide interventions, along with a mental health website and animated educational series to reach younger audiences.
In 2024, Guyana recorded 40 deaths by suicide, compared to 100 deaths across the entire year of 2023. This marked a substantial decline, approximately a 60 per cent reduction.
International partners, including the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), have commended Guyana for recording a decline in suicide rates in recent years, crediting the country’s integrated approach of education, legislation, and community outreach.
For anyone in crisis, help is available at the National Suicide Prevention Helpline: 915; the Inter-Agency Suicide Prevention Help Line: 623-4444 or 600-7896; the Guyana 24 Hour Crisis Help Line: 603-3666; or through the Mental Health Unit: 226-1416.