The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) suicide helpline was on the verge of shutting down in January and the first half of February due to a lack of funds.
The suicide helpline takes in roughly 400 calls per day for people with thoughts or contemplating suicide. The running costs of phone lines alone can run to R60, 000 per month this excluding the tireless work the operators put into the service.
With the clock counting down and time seemingly not on the side of the vital service, a true act of kindness came in. Discovery Health committed R1 million to the support of the service. This was after pleading call and interview on 702 Talk Radio.
CEO of Discovery Health Jonathan Broomberg noted that the suicide helpline played a vital and important role in the healthcare system of South Africa. Showing the companies support for the work done by SADAG through this service.
The donation will see the helpline stay open for at least another year. This means that approximately 145, 600 people will be helped and received that vital support when it is needed most. One in three South Africans suffer from depression with that figure said to be on the rise. The helpline play a vital role in the mental health of all South Africans.