In the last 24 hours, two people have killed themselves, and another has tried to take his own life.
A 60-year-old man attempted to commit suicide yesterday in the Shkoza area of Tirana. The man attempted to jump from a high storey of the social housing blocks located on the edge of the city. Thankfully, those on the scene including police were able to prevent him from following through with the attempt.
He was escorted by the police to the hospital where he is undergoing medical examinations.
The number of suicides reported over the last few months has increased exponentially. In June, six people committed suicide in one week, four of which occured within just 24 hours. July and August also saw an unusual amount of suicides, mainly by elderly individuals.
This morning, two people took their own lives. In Durres, a 75-year-old man jumped from the 7th floor of where he lived. Another 64-year-old was found hanged near his home by family members.
In addition to this, two COVID-19 patients being treated at the Shefqet Ndroqi hospital in Tirana committed suicide two weeks apart, by jumping from the third and fourth floor of the building. A third individual was prevented from committing suicide, by staff.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the effect of economic fallout, recession, and isolation from family members, is well reported to be causing mental health issues globally. Unfortunately, in Albania the government spends less than 1% of their budget on mental health services. No additional services to deal with the psychological impact of the pandemic have been announced to date.
