It is estimated that with every death caused by suicide, at least six other individuals are affected by the aftermath.

It is thus important to offer support for those struggling with mental wellness, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, said President Halimah Yacob at the launch of Samaritans of Singapore's first #HOWRU Virtual Walkathon yesterday. The walkathon is held in conjunction with Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, which takes place globally each September.

The Samaritans' chief executive Gasper Tan said the organisation plans to hold the event annually to raise awareness for suicide prevention and rally the community to show support. He added that the group will review the response, feedback and pandemic situation closely to see how to conduct the next edition of the walkathon.

The #HOWRU initiative started five years ago as part of the group's World Suicide Prevention Day campaign.

Asking "How are you?" is a simple first step to initiating a conversation with someone in distress, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong, the Samaritans' patron, at the event's opening ceremony that was live-streamed on Facebook.

He noted that in the midst of the pandemic, the community's mental health needs are at their greatest. Calls to the Samaritans' 24-hour hotline rose by almost 25 per cent during the circuit breaker, compared with the same period last year.

The walkathon is on until Sunday. The Samaritans hopes participants will clock a combined total of 5.5 million steps as a show of solidarity with those who feel lonely or isolated. It also aims to raise $150,000 through the event to support its work in serving those thinking of, or affected by, suicide. More details are on the group's social media pages.