WHO urges governments to address rising mental health cases

MANILA, Philippines – The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday urged governments to have “stronger political commitment” to address worsening mental health problems.

WHO regional director for Western Pacific Dr. Shin Young-soo said countries have to increase their “investments in mental health” care.

In the past decade, Shin noted there has been no substantial progress in mental health care in low- and middle-income countries despite the high rates of depression, suicide as well as the growing number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease due to aging populations in many nations.

WHO estimates that there are some 100 million people in the Western Pacific who suffer from mental and neurological disorders.

At least two percent of the region’s population have the most severe forms of mental disorders, including schizophrenia, dementia, severe mental retardation and the consequence of brain injuries.

Shin added that around three to four percent suffer from less severe but “disabling conditions like depressive disorders, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders.”

WHO is expecting dementia, a word used to describe disorders affecting the brain, to increase substantially due to the growing aging population in the Western Pacific. Dementia is commonly associated with memory loss.

The financial and human resources earmarked for mental health are insufficient, especially in low-resource countries while a majority of low and middle-income nations spend less than two percent of their health budget on mental health.

“Barriers still exist that prevent the successful implementation of mental health programs. It is therefore important to motivate and empower health professionals to provide much-needed mental health services,” Shin added.

Aside from low investments in mental health, he claimed mental illness is “often still associated with the images of violence, sin and laziness.”

“Most general health workers are also unfamiliar with modern methods of treatment for mental illness and often do not have the necessary skills to deal with patients,” the WHO official added.

Global statistics showed that last year, some 36 million people lived with dementia and this is expected to rise to 66 million by 2030.

Some two-thirds of the cases will come from low and middle-income countries. –Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)