SURPIN to engage young minds on suicide prevention through research

The Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN), a not-for-profit organisation, with presence in 35 states of the country and the FCT, remains the flagbearer when it comes to suicide prevention in Nigeria.

The initiative through its hotlines and programmes has been saving many lives for the past five years since inception.

In the last couple of years, it has targeted youths and creativity. In 2020, it promoted suicide prevention through a national drama competition, and last year it had a national secondary schools’ debate.

This year, SURPIN has come up with another creative way of raising awareness and promoting suicide prevention, by promoting research among young people through a national research competition for secondary school and tertiary institution students.

The conference with the theme ‘Research as a tool for promoting future mental wellbeing among the youth’, takes place on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at the Total Hall, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos. Registration details to join virtually are available on the website .

Consultant Psychiatrist and National Coordinator, SURPIN, Dr. Raphael Ogbolu, said: “Research is one of SURPIN’s mandate and strongly believes that research will drive innovation.

Considering that Nigerian youths are very creative, it only makes sense to motivate them to get involved in conducting research that can lead them to come up with ingenious solutions to local issues and problems. This year, the conference will be a hybrid one (physical and virtual).

Ogbolu explained that it is all in keeping with this world suicide prevention day theme of creating hope through action carried on from last year.

The competition started with a call for research proposals from young people in secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the country, focusing on promoting mental well-being, with particular focus on suicide prevention, depression and as drug abuse.

The consultant psychiatrist added that the entries were grouped into the seven SURPIN zones (Lagos and the six geopolitical zones) and then screened by expert researchers in those zones.

“These research proposals from the zonal finalists were then assessed by a panel of judges from across the country who are experts in the field of research. The results of the judges scores will be announced live at the conference leading to the awarding of 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, for secondary and tertiary categories, with prize money.

“After the conference, finalists will then undergo a two-part virtual bespoke, world-class basic research skills training offered by seasoned experts to be provided by SURPIN, and in 2023 will be mentored and guided to complete the research which they submitted a proposal for. They will then present their research findings and recommendations at the national conference in 2023,” Ogbolu said.