Washington, D.C., 10 September 2026 (PAHO) – On World Suicide Prevention Day, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) highlighted progress achieved during the first year of its Regional Suicide Prevention Initiative, a technical cooperation platform that supports countries across the Americas in strengthening suicide prevention efforts and improving care for people at risk.
The initiative was launched in September 2025 to help reverse rising suicide rates in the Americas, the only World Health Organization (WHO) region where suicide rates have increased over the past two decades. In 2021, approximately 100,760 people died by suicide in the Region, underscoring the need to strengthen prevention efforts.
The results of the initiative’s first year were shared today during a PAHO regional webinar that brought together health authorities, experts, and country representatives to exchange experiences and good practices in suicide prevention.
“Suicide remains a major public health challenge in the Americas and requires sustained action. Too many families and communities across our Region continue to be affected by preventable losses of life,” said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa. “This first year has shown that progress is possible when suicide prevention is prioritized and supported by stronger health systems, better data, and coordinated action across sectors.”
Guided by the WHO's LIVE LIFE: An Implementation Guide for Suicide Prevention, the initiative supports countries in strengthening governance, health services and surveillance systems, addressing risk factors associated with suicidal behaviors, and reducing stigma.
Strengthening capacity to prevent suicide
During its first year, the initiative focused on creating the conditions needed to expand suicide prevention efforts through new surveillance mechanisms, stronger national and subnational coordination, expanded training opportunities, improvements in crisis response, and the gradual integration of suicide prevention into primary health care.
One of the initiative’s main areas of focus has been strengthening the capacity of health workers to identify and support people at risk. Through PAHO’s Virtual Campus for Public Health, more than 2,400 primary health care professionals have completed a course on the identification, management, and referral of people at risk of suicide and self-harm.
This training is particularly important because primary health care is often the first point of contact for people experiencing mental health challenges. While many countries have adopted policies to integrate mental health into primary care, significant gaps remain in the availability of services and interventions. A well-trained workforce can help identify warning signs earlier and connect people with appropriate support.
PAHO is also developing new guidance to support the development and updating of national suicide prevention plans and to expand the use of telemental health services. In collaboration with governments and international partners, the Organization is promoting measures to reduce access to pesticides, one of the means used in some suicides.
These actions are taking place against a backdrop of persistent mental health challenges across the Region. According to PAHO’s Mental Health Atlas of the Americas, mental health receives a median of 3% of public health spending. The Region also has a median of 14.9 mental health workers per 100,000 population, with substantial differences across subregions. Barriers to accessing care also persist, particularly at the primary care level.
Over its three-year implementation period, the initiative aims to strengthen response capacity in more than 6,800 primary health care facilities and expand the reach of suicide prevention services to approximately 21.9 million people across the Americas.
These efforts are expected to contribute to a 5.5% reduction in suicide deaths in the Americas by 2031, which, if achieved, could translate into nearly 12,000 lives saved across the Region.
Lessons from the first year
Experience gained during the initiative’s first year has highlighted several key elements for expanding suicide prevention across the Americas. Among them are strong government leadership, coordination across sectors, and information systems capable of identifying where and among which populations risks are emerging.
It has also underscored the importance of investing early in technical capacity, strategic partnerships, and support structures that can translate national plans into sustained action over time.
“One of the lessons learned is that effective suicide prevention must be integrated into the systems people already use, from primary health care and community services to surveillance and crisis response systems,” said Dr. Renato Oliveira, Chief of PAHO’s Mental Health and Substance Use Unit. “By strengthening and connecting these systems, countries can move from responding to individual crises to preventing suicide more systematically and reaching people before they reach a crisis point.”
Towards the second year
As the initiative enters its second year, PAHO will continue supporting countries to strengthen national suicide prevention strategies, improve institutional coordination, and expand surveillance systems to better identify suicide attempts and generate information that can more effectively guide interventions.
During this next phase, countries will advance the implementation of plans developed during the first year to more systematically integrate mental health into primary health care, expand community-based support, and strengthen services for people affected by suicide. At the same time, efforts to promote responsible communication and reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions will continue.
The initiative also aligns with this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” and its call to action, “Start the Conversation.”
