By Phillip Pasula
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-A medical expert in Nsanje, Dr. Waleke Khumalo, has said Malawians should free themselves from a phenomenon that says men do not cry as it has become a catalyst for more suicidal cases among men in the country.
Khumalo made the remarks on Tuesday at a symposium organised by Police Women Network where police officers were drilled on how to handle stress and other related problems.
He observed that men endure difficult situations in life without sharing the stressful experiences they are going through, thereby resorting to committing suicide; all because they want to show that they are men.
“Men will keep problems to themselves; get seriously injured psychologically to the point of arriving at suicide as a final solution. It is very important that we should stop saying that ‘men don’t cry’.
“Instead, we should create institutions or an environment where they can go and cry, lament and express themselves so that in the end they are assisted accordingly,” explained Dr. Khumalo.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Mutupha bemoaned the number of people that committed suicide in Malawi in January alone which is over 30, most of whom were men.
“Suicide leaves close friends, family members and relatives with trauma. Trauma itself is not good for one’s health as it taunts one for many years,” Assistant Commissioner Mutupha told the local media.
Chairperson for Police Women Network, Inspector Clara Nachuma, said the symposium was very important for police officers.
“We brought together religious leaders and medical personnel to give us guidance in these issues. We are hopeful that police officers will always do the right thing when they are pressed with different kinds of problems,” she said.
Suicide cases have been rampant in the country committed even by school going children.
