Google sets up suicide hotline for Pakistan

Google has introduced a suicide hotline in Pakistan, which allows users to quickly connect with a suicide hotline on the top of the search results page, a statement of the technology giant said.

Anyone in Pakistan looking for issues related to suicide such as ” suicide support ” and “how can I commit suicide” will now be shown the “Umang Pakistan” hotline assistance, the statement said.

Recognized by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Umang is a mental health hotline that provides support to vulnerable Pakistanis considering suicide.

The tech giant said the partnership between Umang and Google aims to help tackle the growing issue of suicides in Pakistan.

According to WHO estimates, there are between 130,000 and 270,000 cases of attempted suicide in Pakistan annually.

In the meantime, interest in search into mental health problems is increasing, the technology firm said, adding that Google Trends has shown that topics such as “anxiety”, “depression” and “suicide” have all peaked in the 2020-21 period in the country.

This search update will be accessible on desktop and mobile devices – Android and iOS.