– The gradual banning of highly toxic pesticides since 1990 had helped reduce suicides in the country by nearly 70%, and urged countries worldwide to include pesticide restrictions in their suicide prevention strategies, Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said.The Minister made these remarks while participating in a special session on “Preventing Suicides from Pesticides” held on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

The assembly, which began on May 16 and concludes tomorrow (May 23), has brought together representatives from 194 countries, including health ministers, diplomats, institutional representatives and observers.The session was jointly organized by Sri Lanka, Guyana, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan, with support from the World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Program and International Association for Suicide Prevention.Addressing the session, Dr. Jayatissa highlighted Sri Lanka’s success in reducing pesticide-related suicides, describing the restriction of highly toxic pesticides as an evidence-based intervention that had delivered significant results.He proposed that all countries incorporate pesticide restrictions into their national suicide prevention strategies, describing it as a low-cost measure capable of delivering results within a short period.The Minister also said the importance of technical and policy support from international organizations such as WHO and UNEP for developing countries and said Sri Lanka remains ready to share its experience with other nations.

He further said that restricting pesticides alone would not be sufficient to prevent suicides and emphasized the need to strengthen community-based healthcare services through improved primary healthcare systems.One of the key objectives of the session was to encourage member states to include pesticide restriction policies within WHO guidelines and integrate them into national action plans.Sri Lanka was highlighted as a global success story in suicide reduction, with the country’s suicide rate declining from 47 per 100,000 people in 1995 to 14 per 100,000 by 2022. It was noted that the restriction of toxic pesticides had played a major role in this decline.

Meanwhile, it was also announced that the 34th World Congress on Suicide Prevention organised by IASP is scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in 2027.