More than 1 billion people are living with mental health disorders, according to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) recently. These conditions include anxiety and depression among others that are taking an immense human and economic toll. The WHO has said in its report that while many countries have bolstered their mental health policies and programmes, greater investment and action are needed globally to scale up services to protect and promote people’s mental health.
Mental health conditions adversely affect people of all ages and income levels. They represent the second biggest reason for long-term disability, contributing to loss of healthy life. They drive up health-care costs for affected people and families while inflicting substantial economic losses on a global scale. “Transforming mental health services is one of the most pressing public health challenges,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. The findings also underscore the urgent need for sustained investment, stronger prioritisation, and multi-sectoral collaboration to expand access to mental health care, reduce stigma, and tackle the root causes of mental health conditions.
