The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched new guidance to help all countries reform and strengthen mental health policies and systems. Mental health services worldwide remain underfunded, with major gaps in access and quality.
In some countries, the World Health Organisation reports that up to 90% of the people there with severe mental health conditions don’t receive any care, and yet those who receive some bit of help rely on outdated institutional models that fail to meet international human rights standards.
“Despite rising demand, quality mental health services remain out of reach for many people,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, in a statement “This new guidance gives all governments the tools to promote and protect mental health and build systems that serve everyone.”
The statement highlights that while effective prevention and treatment interventions exist, most people living with mental health conditions do not have access to these, and therefore, the new guidance sets out concrete actions to close such gaps and ensure mental health is promoted and protected.
The guidance identifies five key policy areas requiring urgent reform, which include leadership and governance, service organization, workforce development, person-centred interventions, and addressing social and structural determinants of mental health, to among others protect and uphold human rights by ensuring mental health policies and services are aligned with international human rights standards.
The organisation also calls for ensuring people with lived experience are empowered to participate in policy planning and design to ensure mental health policies and services are responsive to their needs.
Commenting about the new guidance, Dr Michelle Funk, Unit Head, Policy, Law and Human Rights in the WHO Department for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, said they are providing practical strategies for countries to build inclusive, responsive and resilient mental health systems.
“Designed to be flexible, it allows all countries, whether low-middle, or high-income ,to adapt their approach to mental health care based on national context, needs, and priorities,” he said
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