The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said over 1 billion people worldwide suffer from mental health illnesses, with diseases like depression and anxiety having a significant negative impact on both people’s lives and the economy.

The new finding, published in two reports, World Mental Health Today and Mental Health Atlas 2024, said anxiety and depressive disorders are the most common types of mental health disorders among both men and women, although women are disproportionately impacted overall.

The Mental Health Atlas survey had assessed the state of mental health services and systems across the world, compiled findings from 144 countries and provided the most comprehensive representation of the world’s response to the challenge of mental ill-health.

The report’s findings said that suicide remains a devastating outcome, claiming an estimated 727 000 lives in 2021 alone and the leading cause of death among young people across all countries and socioeconomic contexts.

It declared that despite global efforts, progress in reducing suicide mortality is too low to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of a one-third reduction in suicide rates by 2030. On the current trajectory, only a 12% reduction will be achieved by that deadline.

WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared that transforming mental health services is one of the most pressing public health challenges.

He added, “Investing in mental health means investing in people, communities, and economies – an investment no country can afford to neglect. Every government and every leader has a responsibility to act with urgency and to ensure that mental health care is treated not as a privilege but as a basic right for all.”

According to the report, the economic impact of mental health disorders is staggering, particularly in lost productivity, with depression and anxiety alone costing the global economy an estimated US$1 trillion each year.

The report revealed a concerning stagnation in mental health investment, indicating that the median government spending on mental health remains at just 2% of total health budgets.

In addition, it said that while high-income countries spend up to US$65 per person on mental health, low-income countries spend as little as US$0.04.

Other findings include the global median number of mental health workers standing at 13 per 100,000 people, with extreme shortages in low- and middle-income countries.

It said that though many countries have bolstered their mental health policies and programmes, greater investment and action are needed globally to scale up services to protect and promote people’s mental health.

In addition, integration of mental health into primary care is advancing, with 71% of countries meeting at least three of five WHO criteria. However, data gaps remain; only 22 countries provided sufficient data to estimate service coverage for psychosis.

In low-income countries, fewer than 10% of affected individuals receive care, compared to over 50% in higher-income nations – highlighting an urgent need to expand access and strengthen service delivery. (Nigerian Tribune)

• WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus