Pramila Hashini
Celebrating women across the globe helping to prevent deaths from pesticide self-poisoning.Conducting community-based research in Sri Lanka to develop suicide prevention strategies
Name
Pramila Hashini
Job role
Public Health Research Assistant, South Asian Clinical Toxicology Research Collaboration
Location
Sri Lanka
Tell us about your role?
For the last four years, I have been undertaking community-based research on suicide prevention. My role extends beyond the research—it involves building trust with individuals in crisis. I am the first point of contact for individuals experiencing extreme distress (suicide attempters), offering not only a listening role but also exploring effective public health interventions. This work involves collaborating with local authorities, healthcare providers, and community leaders to provide high-quality ground-level data to develop effective suicide prevention strategies.
Why is this work important to you?
This work is important both personally and socially. As a social scientist, it allows me to explore complexities, understand the broader social determinants of mental health, and contribute to meaningful, community-driven solutions. It also helps me identify research gaps, inform policy, and design practical, culturally relevant interventions. The most direct social benefit is saving lives. By identifying risk factors and developing targeted interventions, suicide prevention research helps reduce deaths and provides individuals in crisis with support and hope.
This profile has been compiled for International Women’s Day 2025, to celebrate the incredible women worldwide who are helping to prevent deaths from pesticide self-poisoning.