Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, “Common Concern”

Mental health and suicide prevention have proven to be “matters of common concern”, as Manuel Linares, a councillor from the municipality of Kompromessos, puts it. The motion presented by the Social Democratic parliamentary group urges the government to prepare and approve within three months a national strategic plan for the prevention and fight against suicide (2024-2028) and to launch a mental health observatory by the end of the year to develop indicators. This year, a proposal for the implementation of activities to be deployed in early 2025 was presented and approved by the full parliamentary committee.

All groups therefore put pressure on the government, with the exception of the Social Democratic Party, which raised the issue of the “lack of pace” of the Ministry of Health in developing an integrated plan for mental health and addiction. Núria Segués of Concordia University stressed the “need for dialogue and, above all, action to promote mental health, a public health issue with a strong impact on the environment”. In this sense, he also pointed out that “taking the timeline would be a mistake and irresponsible, especially given the urgency”. “Mental health cannot be delayed any longer”, he responded.

Likewise, Noemí Amador, MP for Endavant in Andorra, also spoke, assuring that she shared the same concerns, while noting that mental health and suicide prevention is “an issue that can no longer wait”. “This is a tragedy that affects not only the people who make the decision, but also their families and those around them.”

Susana Vera thanked the groups for their reflection and contribution and argued that the amendments proposed by the majority group to the motion “can be accepted because they improve the wording to a great extent”, in addition to setting a deadline for “possibilists and realists” at the Ministry of Health.