BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Facing increasing suicide and attempted suicide cases in the country, Brunei launched its first emotional support services, a hotline called "Hope Line 145" to prevent and reduce suicides.

According to a statement on the sultanate's Ministry of Health website, officially launched on Tuesday, the hotline aimed at providing the latest information on mental health services available in Brunei.

It also provides advice and counselling for personal, social and emotional problems that cause mental or emotional disturbances, emergency services and assistance for callers who are in mental health crisis and advisory services to people with possible suicidal tendencies.

Statistics from Royal Brunei Police Force showed that 46 suicide cases were recorded in the country from 2014 to August 2018.

The hotline will be conducted by trained and accredited mental health professionals from the Ministry of Health. In this pilot project, the operating hours for the hotline are on a daily basis from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time.

The ministry also ensured privacy for the callers, saying that every call to the hotline is confidential and all the personal details of the caller will be kept confidential.