The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday called on all countries to increase their investment in mental health, stressing that the suffering at this level is enormous and has been exacerbated by the “corona” epidemic.
According to the United Nations, the largest study on mental health in the world, it took two decades to prepare, and even before the epidemic began, about one billion people worldwide suffered from some form of mental disorder. .
In the first year of the epidemic, depression and anxiety increased by a quarter.
However, according to the World Health Organization, the funding needed to address these issues has not increased, as only 2% of the national health budget and less than 1% of total international health assistance go to mental health. .
“All of these numbers are very low,” Mark Van Omren of the World Health Organization’s Department of Mental Health told a news conference.
The report states that one in eight people in the world has a mental disorder.
This is even worse for people living in conflict areas, where it is estimated that “one in five people suffer from mental health problems.”
Van Omren says young people, women and people who already have mental health problems are more affected by the consequences and limitations of the epidemic.
The World Mental Health Report also shows wide differences between countries in terms of access to mental health care: while more than 70 percent of people with psychosis are treated in high-income countries, this is only 12 percent. In low-income countries. ون اومرن
The World Health Organization official called for an end to the negative stigma of people with mental health problems, explaining that 20 countries around the world still criminalize suicide attempts.
“Suicide continues to cause more than 1 percent of deaths worldwide,” Van Omren said, noting that one in 20 suicides results in death.
“Investing in mental health is investing in a better life and a better future for all,” said Adrianum Gabrisus, director general of the World Health Organization.
Source: Lebanon Debate
