1 Billion People Including Children, Youth Adults Have Mental Health Condition: UN Chief

UN Secretary-General in his video said that mental health condition adds an increased risk of physical and emotional abuse and several other human right violations.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a video message warned against a "global mental health crisis".

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New Delhi: While launching the World Mental Health Report 2022: Transforming Mental Health For All, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a video message warned against a "global mental health crisis" on Friday. "We are living through a global mental health crisis," the top UN official said. Guterres said that over one billion people including children and young adults have a mental health condition and most of them lack access to treatment.

"Services may be unavailable or unaffordable. Stigma also prevents people from seeking help," he said.

In the video message, Guterres said that people with a mental health condition are at an increased risk of physical and emotional abuse, denial of education and employment, and other human rights violations.  

"The costs, both human and financial, are huge. Depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy an estimated 1 trillion US dollars per year."

He mentions how after the Covid-19 pandemic mental health condition worsened the situation but at the same time, he said, it has led to an increased understanding of the importance - and fragility - of good mental health.

"Unfortunately, in most countries, mental health remains the most neglected area of health policy," warned the secretary-general.

Commenting on the report prepared by the World Health Organization, Guterres said the report is a roadmap to guide countries in improving their mental health systems.

"It highlights where improvement is needed and how it can be achieved, starting in childhood and continuing throughout all the stages of life. It sets out ways to reduce risks, build resilience and dismantle the barriers that prevent people with mental health conditions from participating fully in society," he said.

"I recommend it to governments, and mental health stakeholders, everywhere," the secretary-general said.

 

(With Agency Inputs)