Father at the Roman Catholic Church's Anumelenge Mission Antonius Alugodhi has called on communities to take suicide seriously by creating an environment where people can speak openly about their struggles and seek help.
The Namibian Police recorded 486 suicide cases countrywide during the 2025/2026 financial year.
Of these, 390 were adult men, 83 adult women, nine boys and four girls.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
The figures were revealed by Major General Elias Mutoya, Deputy Inspector General for Operations, during the commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day in Windhoek.
The commemoration aimed to raise awareness about suicide, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage action to prevent suicide.
Alugodhi said people should pay attention to changes in the behaviour of their friends and loved ones, and to not ignore signs that someone may be struggling.
"Sometimes a person may not tell you directly that they are struggling. This is why we need to talk to our friends, listen to them and find out what they are going through. A simple conversation can make a difference," he said.
He further said people should avoid judging those experiencing difficulties and instead encourage them to seek help from trusted people, counsellors, health professionals or other support services. Meanwhile, retired medical doctor, liberation struggle war veteran and former long-serving superintendent of Oshakati State Hospital, Dr Korbinian Vizcaya Amutenya, said he attended the national prayer at Outapi on Saturday because suicide is a serious concern affecting families and communities.
"We came together because we need to pray for our country and our people. Suicide is a serious problem, and we need to understand what is pushing people to lose hope and how we can support them," Amutenya said.
He said prayer should be accompanied by practical action, including counselling, community awareness and encouraging people to speak about their problems.
"People must know that asking for help is not a weakness. We must listen to one another, support those who are struggling and make sure they know where they can get help," he said.
The security cluster joined the commemoration.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
