Members of parliament are calling for urgent discussions on Namibia's high suicide rate, linking it to recent tragedies and wider social and economic challenges.
This comes as World Suicide Prevention Day is observed on 10 September annually.
This year's theme is 'Changing the Narrative on Sucide', reflecting on lives lost, supporting affected families, and reaffirming the availability of mental health support at public health facilities.
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member Lilian Lutuhezi on Tuesday raised concerns in the parliament about the legendary musician Ras Sheehama's recent suicide.
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"Sadly, Namibia currently has the highest suicide rate in Africa, with men accounting for the overwhelming majority of these cases, and the alarming trend being among those between the ages of 20 and 50 years old in rural areas," she said.
Lutuhezi said the contributing factors included limited access to mental health services, social and economic hardship, substance abuse, and the persistent stigma surrounding the matter, especially when it comes to men.
She said suicide is a national crisis affecting not only men, but also vulnerable groups across all regions.
Over 542 lives were lost to suicide between 2023 and 2024, according to president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in a recent speech.
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) deputy president Kalimbo Iipumbu said Sheehama's death is a painful reminder that depression and mental health challenges are real and must be confronted with urgency.
"I am also reminded of a social media post in July by the right honourable prime minister in which he shared a personal experience of financial turmoil that nearly drove him to take his life between 2015 and 2019," he said.
This tragedy, he said, shows that unless radical and comprehensive interventions are implemented at the level of public institutions, the private sector, communities, and families, Namibia will continue to lose more of its people to suicide.
Speaking to Desert Radio on Wednesday, economist Salomo Hei said the inability to meet one's daily needs such as for shelter and food, compromises people's living conditions.
"There is an imbalance of your lifestyle when it comes to suicide . . . But suicide is very complex," he said.
Hei said according to a 'happiness index', Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden are the happiest countries.
Norway has one of the biggest sovereign welfare systems taking care of its people, he said.
The economist said Namibia's social net is not strong enough to address social issues to perform well on the happiness index.
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