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View all search resultsSuicides rise as Indonesia struggles to meet demand for help
The Health Ministry’s Healing119 consultation service has received as many as 600 contacts a day since February, up from an average of 350 to 400 daily last year.
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suicide, depression (Shutterstock/tadamichi)
I
ndonesia is seeing a worrying rise in suicides as more people seek help for mental distress, but limited access to professional mental health services is leaving the country struggling to meet growing demand for support.
The number of reported suicides has risen steadily in recent years, from 1,332 cases in 2023 to 1,403 in 2024 and 1,503 in 2025, according to National Police data. More than 1,000 cases were recorded in the first nine months of this year.
The Health Ministry said the official figures were only the tip of the iceberg, noting that “many suicide attempts go unreported or are covered up”, vulnerable groups health services director Imran Pambudi said at a briefing to commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10.
At the same time, the number of people reaching out to suicide prevention services has risen sharply, highlighting what health officials and mental health experts say is a significant unmet need for psychological and crisis support.
The Health Ministry’s Healing119 consultation service has received as many as 600 contacts a day since February, up from an average of 350 to 400 daily last year.
Between July 2025 and July 2026, the service received at least 10,000 contacts, more than 3,000 of them from people who expressed a desire to end their lives.
Read also: Another doctor suicide highlights mental health concerns in Indonesia’s healthcare
