Disruptions such as anxiety and depression are to be a heavy toll for individuals, families and economies, yet most countries fail to provide sufficient support.
Mental health problems are widespread across any society and age group and remains the second leading cause of long -term disability. They increase the cost of healthcare for families and governments while costing the global economy estimated 1 trillion trillion dollars each year in lost productivity, the UN health experts said.
Far away from the track
The results are described in two new reports: World’s Mental Health Today and Mental Health Atlas 2024.
Together they show that although some progress has been made since 2020, the world is still far away from the field of tackling the extent of the crisis. The reports will help inform the debate at a high-level UN meeting on non-transferable illnesses and mental health held late this month in New York.
“Transforming Mental Health Services is one of the most pressing public health challenges“Said WHO HERFORY Director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“Investing in mental health means investing in people, communities and economiesAn investment, no country can afford to neglect. Each leader has a responsibility to act urgently and to ensure that mental health care is not treated as a privilege but as a basic right. “
Worrying holes, uneven progress
The reports highlight several sharp finds:
- Women are disproportionately affected by mental health conditions, with anxiety and depression most common among both genders.
- Suicide claimed 727,000 lives in 2021 and is a leading cause of death among young people. On the current trends, the world will come far below the UN goal to reduce suicide deaths by one -third by 2030 and only control a 12 percent reduction.
- Median government costs of mental health remain at only two percent of health budgets, unchanged since 2017. While high -income countries spend up to $ 65 per year. Person on mental health, use low -income countries as little as four cents.
- The workforce for mental health is dangerously thin in many regions. There are only 13 mental health workers for every 100,000 people around the world.
- Fewer than one in 10 countries have been fully moved to community -based care, with most people still highly dependent on psychiatric hospitals. Almost half of the in -law recordings are involuntary, and more than one in five patients remain hospitalized for over a year.
Despite these challenges, there have been some positive developments. Several countries integrate mental health into primary healthcare and expand early intervention programs in schools and communities.
Over 80 percent of countries now include mental health and psychosocial support for readiness, up from less than 40 percent in 2020. Telehealth services are also becoming more accessible, although access is still uneven.
Call for Systemic Change
That calls on governments to intensify investment and reform and warn that current progress is too slow to meet global goals. The main priorities include:
- More fair financing of mental healthcare
- Stronger legal protection and rights -based legislation
- Larger investments in the workforce of mental health
- Accelerated shifts to community -based, person -centered care
The UN Health Agency emphasizes that Mental health should be treated as a basic human rights. Without urgent actions, millions will continue to suffer without support, and communities will bear increasing social and economic costs.
For more information about how the UN generally advocates for more resources to support mental health and well -being, Check this story From our colleagues at www.un.org.
