Towards a National Suicide Prevention Strategy for Singapore

One year ago, a bold commitment was made to bring together suicide survivors, researchers, practitioners, employers and community groups to develop a National Strategy on Suicide Prevention in Singapore. Calling for ‘no life to be lost to suicide’, SG Mental Health Matters led a ground-up initiative named “Project Hayat” (‘life’ in Malay).

Project Hayat is a community-led effort, guided by a multi-stakeholder Work Group comprising policymakers, suicide experts, researchers, community workers and helping professionals, religious leaders, corporate leaders, representatives from the media, and people whose lives have been impacted by suicide. 

Commemorating World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September 2024, the Project Hayat Working Group has published a White Paper outlining key recommendations for a national strategy for suicide prevention from a first of its kind research on suicide prevention in Singapore. 

The White Paper

The Working Group approached this first study of its kind on suicide prevention in Singapore through a hybrid research model of (a) direct interviews; (b) focus group discussions; and (c) public consultation. 

13 direct interviews were conducted which included key representatives from suicide prevention organisations and government agencies in countries with national suicide prevention strategies such as Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and United States as well as relevant participants in Singapore.

A total of 14 in-depth and inclusive focus group discussions were held with people in Singapore who have been directly and indirectly affected by suicide including parents, youth, educators, first responders, healthcare and emergency services personnel, religious leaders, media representatives and others who offered impassioned views on the impact of suicide and suicide loss. 

More than 500 respondents, representative of Singapore’s age, gender and ethnicity, contributed 4,584 perspectives and suggestions in the first phase of Project Hayat’s public consultation on OPPi, a citizen engagement platform.

Project Hayat’s second phase of public consultation hopes to gather more views and suggestions from Singaporeans and residents and is open on bit.ly/sgsuicideprevention till end of September 2024. The findings from this consultation will be updated on the White Paper which is a living document.

S.A.V.E L.I.V.E.S National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

The Project Hayat Working Group has adopted the acronym SAVE LIVES to flesh out a comprehensive set of goals and actions that provide direction for and expand on the current efforts in suicide prevention. 

SAVE LIVES embodies the suicide-free Singapore vision of Project Hayat and its clarion call for a whole-of-society effort to prevent suicide and alleviate its effects by focusing and committing to these goals and actions: 

• Strengthen Governance & Policy

• Amplify Awareness & Education

• Value Data & Research

• Enhance Means Restriction, Crisis Response & Healthcare

• Leverage on Technology & Innovation

• Involve Families & Communities

• Vitalise Workplace & Corporate Collaboration

• Ensure Continuous Improvement

• Support Schools & Educators

Strong governance leads in as the keystone in the strategy coupled with the need for a dedicated agency empowered to design and implement policies on suicide prevention. Built upon this is responsible public education to amplify awareness and consistent data management to build and track significant facts that can inform policy and action.

In addressing issues on the ground, the White Paper underscores the need for a more robust crisis response system to offer timely, professional and compassionate services and using technology to improve means and standards to serve those at risk. 

The full 160-page report of the Project Hayat White Paper is available to all at the link below