A COMMUNITY support group is preparing to train at least 50 volunteers to join its task force to combat suicides and cases of depression among expatriates in Bahrain.
The Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) is planning its second round of ‘gatekeepers’ training over the next two months, said its chairman Dr Babu Ramachandran.
The ICRF, which operates under the auspices of the Indian Embassy, trained nearly 100 volunteers in 2018, following an alarming increase in suicides – as many as 30 reported expat suicides – in the country.
The subsequent training sessions, however, had to be shelved due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions put in place to prevent the illness spreading.
“With life returning to normal, the ICRF intends to resume its in-person activities, particularly those focusing on people’s welfare,” Dr Ramachandran told the GDN.
“We need to raise public awareness about the importance of working together, and we plan to restart the gatekeepers training that we started before the pandemic.
“Our goal in all of this is not to highlight suicide, but to spread the message that it is not a solution.”
Trained gatekeepers will eventually man the ICRF’s multiple hotlines around the clock, as well as participate in community outreach programmes by acting as a link between someone who is suicidal or depressed and a mental health professional. Volunteers will be trained to recognise suicide warning signs and respond appropriately.
“We plan to run the gatekeepers programme in the next two months, with leading psychiatrists training participants to be first responders,” Dr Ramachandran, a senior expatriate medic at the American Mission Hospital, explained.
“We need more volunteers to assist us in reaching out to people, particularly middle-income expat workers, who we see as a challenge because they are usually alone, unlike those in a labour camp.
Dr Ramachandran added that not many of the initial intake of trained gatekeepers were active, but he hoped to revive the system with the volunteers engaging with people calling ICRF’s two suicide prevention hotlines (38415171 and 35990990).
“During the pandemic, technological advancements and heavy reliance on it have limited personal interaction, which unfortunately has crippled people’s social engagements,” he said. “This weakens and exposes people, particularly children and teenagers at school.
“To address this situation, we are attempting to train people who can serve as gatekeepers in the workplace, while also considering the possibility of training some teachers in schools who can serve as a support system for children with negative tendencies.
“All these are part of the mandate of ICRF LIFE, which we’re happy to revive through the much needed in-person activities.”
ICRF launched its Listen, Involve, Foster and Engage (LIFE) initiative in 2018, as part of its efforts to enhance its community and public engagement and outreach.
The medic also highlighted that private companies in Bahrain have reached out to the ICRF seeking advice on ways to help tackle depression amongst workforces.
“At least three companies have approached us to arrange talks for their employees on depression, which is a good sign – it means they have identified the problem and are being proactive,” he said.
A total of six cases have been reported as suspected suicides in Bahrain this year, of which four died in March.
raji@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))