With reportedly more than 90 Fijians losing their lives to suicide so far this year, agencies involved in suicide prevention are urging the general public to reach out for help.

Lifeline Fiji Executive Director, Archana Mani says they’ve recorded an increase in calls to their 24 hour service over the last six months.

Mani says among their key concerns is the rising number of cases of young Fijians involved in self harm.

“There’s a lot of young people growing or children growing up, youths who have not taken up help seeking behaviour, you know our culture is such where’s there’s taboo that people cannot ask for help and that if you ask for help your seen as a weak person. So generally we’re seeing that a lot of young people are suppressing what they’re feeling whether there’s confusion about new relationships in their lives, whether it is peer pressure around social issues or even just academic pressure on having to perform.”

Lifeline Fiji has a 24 hour toll free line which can be accessed on 132 454, for the Children’s Helpline, the number is 1325.

The youngest Fijian to have lost their life to suicide was only seven years old.