The depressive disorder (DD) is a widespread disease described to be a severe burden and to have high suicide risk. Depression is not yet listed in the primary care (PC), Russian specific educational program.

To create educational Recognition of Depressive disorders Program (REDEP) in order to decrease suicides in Tomsk City and Tomsk Area (TA).

Educational Program WPA/PTD on DD (Russian version) was used as a basis of REDEP, comparative analysis of mortality ratio of suicides (MRS) throughout the period of 2004–2015 among the population of the Russian Federation (RF), Siberian Federal Region (SFR) and TA, analysis of suicide decrease in Tomsk City. The Program is based on ideas of collaboration between the Primary Medical Care institutions and the Service of Mental Health Care. Depression and its consequences on people and the economy should be listed as a non-infectious illness.

We conducted a comparative analysis of suicides in RF, SFR and TA; we also assessed the dynamics of suicides reduction in TA under the influence of educational program on DD. The most prominent MRS decline was in TA: from 38.3 to 12.8 (P < 0.03). During 2008–2015, MRS was being held below 10/100,000 in Tomsk City.

Suicide prevention is possible if persistent and continual education of doctors in PC is in place. Such specialists are needed to recognize and manage depression and co-morbid conditions. The Program can be extrapolated to other regions of the country with high MRS.

The author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.