The celebration is on the theme, “Health promoting behavior and suicidal tendencies, the role of the adolescent”.

Miss Amy-Danielle Aboa and Nana Adwoa Adomako Boamah, Adolescent Health Ambassadors of the school, educating their peers on the topic said suicide was not an acceptable way to manage problems confronting the youth.

They encouraged them to rather speak to their teachers, health officials and their parents about issues and always stick to the adolescent health club slogan of the school “say no to suicide, life is precious”.

They identified some of the causes of suicide as mental illness expressed in anxiety and depression, drug abuse, social isolation, relationship difficulties, bullying at school and terminal illnesses.

The adolescent ambassadors also urged the youth to seek immediate help from health officials if they were faced with suicidal risk factors including divorce of parents, physical and sexual abuse, extreme poverty, humiliation, emotional neglect, and exposure to domestic violence.

They indicated that parents, students and teachers must watch out for some behavior changes in their children to enable them get the needed help for them early to prevent the contemplation of suicide.

Some of the behavior changes are withdrawal from family peers, loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities, neglect of personal appearance, sadness and hopelessness, changes in eating patterns.

Others are drug abuse, violent actions, aggression, confrontational, low self-esteem and symptoms of clinical depression.

Mr Robert Okai, Head of SOS, said most children were getting depressed and have nobody to talk to as parents have no or little time for their children.

Mr Okai added that most adolescents were saddled with mental and relationship issues as most of them were entering sexual activities early due to the influence of social media and the abuse of the internet.

He therefore called on parents to make time for their children and know their friends and the kind of conversations and activities they were involved in.

Madam Rosemond Boamah, Programme Director SOS Childrens Villages, Tema Programme Location, stated that the adolescent health club was established in the school to give the students an opportunity to discuss their issues and build their self-confidence.

Madam Boamah added that the week celebration was organized to create awareness among students and encourage them to join the club stating that the programme lined-up included health walk and screening, interacting with pregnant teenagers at the Tema General Hospital, clean-up exercise and time with parents on adolescent issues.

Mrs Grace Eddy Amewu, Adolescent Focal Person at the Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, commended the school authorities, patrons and club members for the initiative and called on the remaining 18 clubs to emulate the initiative.

Mrs Amewu also called for sponsorship from corporate organizations to enable them organize more educative programmes for adolescents in the Metropolis.

GNA