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A 71-year-old man and a 17-year-old minor decided to end their lives by hanging themselves from the beams of their residences, in incidents that occurred in the communities of La Chorrera, just a few minutes from the capital city, and in Cerro Mesa, in the Ngäbe-Buglé indigenous region, respectively.
n” “nIn Panama, every three days a citizen attempts to take their life, according to authorities, who estimate that for every death by suicide there are eight attempts.
n” “nAnnually, between 100 to 120 suicides are registered in the country, according to official statistics.
n” “nIn the first case, the man’s body was discovered with a rope around his neck, hanging from the beam of his residence, by a granddaughter who went to bring him breakfast.
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While in the case of the minor, she was found by an aunt, when her life had already slipped away.
n” “nSocial maladjustment, not having a sense of belonging, is a repetitive situation among suicide cases, authorities warn.
n” “nThe young woman had had a heated argument over the phone hours earlier with her romantic partner, who is currently in Panama City, according to her relatives, as cited by the newspaper El Siglo.
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According to health authorities, suicide is the leading external cause of death in Panama, surpassing the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents and unintentional poisoning, a situation that has led the Public Health System to increase its attention to this phenomenon in the current century.
n” “nPanama approved Law 174 of November 2, 2020, which establishes the legal framework for addressing suicidal risk behaviors.
n” “nIn January, the National Commission for the Comprehensive Approach to Suicidal Risk Behaviors held its first ordinary meeting, in which its 2026 Operational Plan was approved.
They explained that this document synthesizes the commitment acquired through the aforementioned law, which is the legal instrument that declares the prevention of suicidal risk behaviors to be of national interest. A psychologist listens attentively to a patient who shows signs of distress and worry during a therapy session. The image highlights the relevance of professional care in managing emotional and mental health problems.
n” “nThe 16 commissions that make up the National Commission for the Comprehensive Approach to Suicidal Risk Behaviors are working on the dissemination of the Prevention Guide for Suicidal Risk Behavior in work environments, which represents a historical debt to thousands of workers and employees in the country.
n” “nThe most recent official statistics reveal that in 2023, 118 deaths by intentionally self-inflicted injuries were reported in the country, of which 105 were men and 13 women.
During that period, the ages of those who decided to take their own lives were between 10 and 24 years old, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census.
n” “nBoth the Ministry of Health and the Social Security Fund reported that they will adopt the Standard for the Surveillance System of Suicidal Risk Behavior, which was approved through Resolution No. 99 of February 11, 2026.
n” “nWith the application of this document, they stated that suicidal risk behavior is recognized as an epidemiological event of public health importance in Panama and is subject to mandatory notification.
n” “nThe Ministry of Health stated that it will adopt the Standard for the Suicidal Risk Behavior Surveillance System.
n” “nIts introduction states that the system’s purpose is to continuously and systematically identify, register, monitor, and analyze events related to suicidal risk behavior, including cases of suicide attempts and completed suicides.
n” “nRegarding the various factors that can cause a person to attempt to take their own life, the Ministry of Health maintains that economic problems, family disintegration, and chronic degenerative diseases are not among the main causes.
n” “nConversely, social maladjustment, not having a sense of belonging, is a repetitive situation among suicide cases.
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