Image credit: prnewswire
Himalaya Wellness Company has partnered with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) to develop an indigenized pilot model framework for suicide prevention research and surveillance.
Titled Project Suraksha, this pilot programme will assess the feasibility and acceptability of community-based suicide prevention programmes and their cost-effectiveness across varied nodal stakeholder groups involving farmers, labourers, daily wage workers, student communities, media professionals, and women groups.
It will also establish a cohort for future longitudinal studies, that is to repeatedly examine the same individuals to detect any changes that might occur over a period. Following the pilot research and feasibility study, the project will be scaled up to a national level over three years.
As a preliminary phase, Project Suraksha aim at developing an indigenised research model of suicide prevention in Channapatna taluk of Ramanagara district in Karnataka state, with a comprehensive surveillance system in the community that would include early identification, crisis intervention, and referral system. The programme is in line with the 'LIVE LIFE' program of WHO for suicide prevention.
Project Suraksha will be implemented in three phases.
