Pacific

Marshall Islands suicide figures drop

15:36 pm on 23 March 2006

There's been a huge drop in the number of recorded suicides in the Marshall Islands.

Health data recently released shows there were just seven suicides in 2005, down 65 percent from the 21 recorded the previous year.

The most significant drop has been in the capital of Majuro, where prevention work saw suicides drop to two, compared to 20 in 2003.

Ministry of Health statistics statistics show all of last year's suicides were alcohol-related.

Suicides in the islands peaked in 2003, with 26 people taking their own lives in the population of 55,000.

The Marshall Islands is averaging 14 suicides a year this decade compared to ten per year in the 1990's.