The World Health Organization reveals new figures regarding the reality of mental health in the world, and calls on countries around the world to increase their investments in this field.
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Less than 1% of all international aid to the health sector is devoted to mental health
Today, Friday, the World Health Organization called on all countries of the world to increase their investments in the field of mental health, stressing that “the suffering is enormous” at this level, and has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the World Health Organization report, regarding one billion people in the world were suffering from some form of mental disorder before the start of the pandemic. Depression and anxiety rates increased by a quarter, during the first year of the pandemic.
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The report indicated that the investment needed to address these conditions did not increase, as only 2% of national health budgets, and less than 1% of total international aid to the health sector, is devoted to mental health.
The report pointed out that approximately one in eight people in the world suffers from a mental disorder, and this situation is worse for people living in conflict areas, as it is estimated that one in five suffers from a mental health problem.
The report highlighted the vast difference between countries in terms of access to medical care needed in terms of mental health.
Mark van Ommeren, from the Department of Mental Health at the World Health Organization, during a press conference, pointed out that this report reflects the extent of “enormous suffering” around the world, stressing that young people, women and people who already suffer from mental health problems, have been most affected by the consequences of The COVID-19 pandemic and its constraints.
Van Ommeren added that while more than 70% of people with psychosis receive treatment in high-income countries, the proportion of these does not exceed 12% in low-income countries, calling for an end to the negative stigma of people with mental problems, explaining that 20 countries in the world still criminalize suicide attempts.
He mentioned that one suicide attempt in 20 ends with death, considering that suicide is still the cause of more than 1% of deaths in the world.
“Investing in mental health is an investment in a better life and future for all,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.