On Sept. 2, the World Health Organization (WHO) released their findings on the global mental health crisis. Over a billion people in the world live with mental health conditions. However, only two per cent of the average health budget is designated to mental health — which hasn’t increased since 2017. WHO referred to this as a “global equity crisis.”
Suicide is a global leading cause of death among young people today, taking a total of 727,000 lives in 2021. Currently, international efforts will only achieve a 12 per cent decline in suicide deaths by 2030 — well below the UN’s target to reduce the deaths by a third. Mental health services are understaffed, with a ratio of only 13 mental health professionals per 100,000 people. Depression and anxiety contribute to an annual loss of approximately $1 trillion in global productivity.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, appealed for global leadership and accountability when it comes to the consequences of disregarding mental health.
“Investing in mental health means investing in people, communities and economies, an investment no country can afford to neglect. Every leader has a responsibility to act urgently and to ensure mental health care is treated not as a privilege, but as a basic right.”
