Tonga psychiatrist Dr. Mapa Puloka supports charges for attempted suicide Featured
Dr. Mapa Puloka Head of the Psychiatric unit at Vaiola Hospital
19 December, 2016. A psychiatrist in Tonga is supporting police charging people who have attempted suicide.
Tonga Police said the number of charges laid for attempted suicide in the country was rising and there was a need for more mental health support in the country.
Under the Criminal Offences Act, convictions for attempted suicide can be punishable with up to three years imprisonment.
Dr Mapa Puloka, who heads the Psychiatric unit at Vaiola Hospital, said enforcing the Act may act as a deterrent to others who are suicidal.
Dr Puloka said it also forces the person to undertake counselling.
"The magistrate will allow us to continue on with the counselling and the treatment. Once you decriminalise it, people won't come back for counselling and treatment. But still if you still remain as a crime, you have to force people to come to us for counselling and also treatment."
-RNZI
1 comment
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Ko e fehu'i koaa pe ko e mo'ui 'a hai??? Sisu pe koe tokotaha koia oku ha'ana e mo'ui ???? Ko e ngaahi fonua oku ki'i ma'olunga ange enau sivilaise kuo fakata'e'aonga'i ai 'a e lao ki he suicide pea oku faka'ataa kinautolu kenau kumi ki he counselling pea ke 'ilo'i e tefito'i uhinga na'e tupu ai 'enau fie to'o 'enau mo'ui. Oku mahu'inga ke ako'i e kakai e fonua koe mo'ui oku taha pe pea ke fekumi ki ha fale'i pe talanoa ki he 'ete palopalema oku mo'ua ai pea kenau kumi fale'i foki. Oku iai foki a e tui koe kulukia koia o e mo'ui pe ta'omia a e fakakaukau hange koe depression tupu mei ha faahinga palopalema pe o e moui oku tupu mei ai a e fakakaukau 'a e ki'i tokotaha taonakita oku ikai ha toe taulanga ko e sai taha pe ke mole 'ene moui ... koe ave o ngaue popula he na'a ne fakamamahi'i ha taha???? pe tohotoho ??? ikai koe 'ene mo'ua I he loto mamahi o 'ikai ke ne toe 'ilo 'a e mea kene fai pea puputu'u moe atamai pea hoko ai mo 'ene feinga ke to'o ene mo'ui.. oku ikai keu tui koe ngaue popula tene ta'ofi ai a e taonakita .. mole ke mama'o ka e tokoni ke ako'i e kakai 'o e fonua moe to'utupu ke 'ilo e mahu'inga o e moui moe challenge oku fe'ao moe taautaha he mamani fakamamahi ko 'eni