Global Mental Health Initiatives: Encashing Global Response to Mental Health
Mental health is not constrained by borders, cultures, or socio-economic divisions. Millions of people all over the world have various conditions of mental health, but the response to this is pretty different from country to country. While some countries boast strong health systems addressing their mental well-being, many others are fighting with nil resources, stigma, and improper policies. But in the past two decades, global mental health has come to the fore as a key driver in trying to close the gap, with its ambitious idea of an "ideal world" in which mental health care would be available, equitable, and a priority for all.
Burden of Mental Illness: Global End
The World Health Organization (WHO) in their survey report, reports that the number of people suffering from mental illnesses is growing year by year. It said that one in every four people may face such problems every year. As part of the section on diseases mostly concerned with mental disorders, some of the diagnoses consist of major depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, to name a few. These can be the death knell for patients and are not only family and community-level but also catastrophic for them as well.
In addition, mental health is always among the lowest priorities within most public health agendas and, most especially, in low- and middle-income countries. It thus follows that this contributes to a treatment gap whereby persons suffering from conditions of mental health are not subjected to the proper treatment they deserve. Over 75% of the people suffering from such mental health conditions receive no treatment in such nations. Neglect further contributes to the burden on individuals and economies by way of reduced productivity, increased costs of care, and a general reduction in the quality of life.
Initiatives in Global Mental Health
Yet, through various actions at the level of some governments, NGOs, international bodies, and interest groups, most of the challenges described above are being confronted in the establishment of global mental health initiatives. Such initiatives foster awareness, enhance access to care, reduce stigma, and further policy reform in mental health across the globe. They also take into consideration cultural and societal features peculiar to various regions from around the world.
Key Global Mental Health Initiatives
Several major initiatives have gone a long way in trying to address global mental health. These programs are committed to shrinking the treatment gap and engineering a more holistic approach toward the treatment of mental health.
1. The World Health Organization's Mental Health Action Plan
WHO is a significant entity/ organization that leads the world in mental health, prioritizing it in the majority of countries. It was the concrete answer to the fact that in 2013, the **Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030** was ratified. This is the master plan highlighting the need of the world to move to a higher mental health level as is currently the case in many parts of the world. The four major objectives underlined in this plan are as under:
• Strengthening effective leadership and governance for mental health
• Providing comprehensive, integrated, and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings
• Strengthening information systems, evidence, and research for mental health
The WHO action plan provides a guiding framework through which countries will implement national mental health policies, improve access to services, and enhance collaboration among health providers, governments, and civil society.
2. The Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development
Therefore, the **Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health** in 2018 was purposed to bring into focus this new, emerging importance of mental health within the broad context of global development. At its best, mental health is a component of sustainable development linked to economic growth and poverty reduction with enhanced social well-being.
This locating of mental health within one of the critical pillars of the **United Nations SDGs** has catalyzed governments and international organizations to raise investment in mental health programs. The incursion of mental health into larger development imperatives, in itself, is a great stride toward the goal of global mental health advocacy.
3. Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP)
Another flagship program developed by the WHO is the **Mental Health Gap Action Program (mhGAP)**, which was initiated in 2008. mhGAP was set up to scale up services for mental, neurological, and substance use disorders, focusing on responding in low- and middle-income countries where resources are scarce.
The program trains non-specialist health workers to identify and provide treatment for mental health conditions in the settings of primary health care. Such an approach has helped raise access to mental health services in communities where specialists are not available. mhGAP has been implemented with huge success in many countries, such as Ethiopia, Uganda, and Jordan, where this resulted in narrowing the gap in treatment and quality of care.
4. World Mental Health Day
In addition to those above, from the WHO targeting more systemic change, **World Mental Health Day** provides important yearly contributions to raising awareness and reducing stigma at a global level. Conceived back in 1992, World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on October 10th and has become a global movement.
It takes up one theme each year, like the prevention of suicide, youth mental health, or workplace mental health. It galvanizes governments, NGOs, mental health professionals, and people into calling for more mental health care. Events publicly, campaigns through media and education on this day aim at normalizing discussions about mental health and helping individuals seek help where the need arises.
5. The Global Mental Health Movement
The Global Mental Health Movement epitomizes the collective initiative of organizations, researchers, and activists towards giving a fillip to mental health care across the world. It stands for the very premise that mental health is a human right and everyone is entitled to quality mental health services, regardless of one's geographical region or socio-economic background.
Through advocacy, research, and collaboration, equal access to mental health treatment has been called upon by the Global Mental Health Movement, especially in most underserved parts of the world. It advocates for the creation of such policies that would give emphasis to mental health and integrate mental health services into larger general health systems.
Challenges Faced by Global Mental Health Initiatives
While a few initiatives have indeed been undertaken concerning mental health, even the success of these notwithstanding, formidable challenges remain. Many of these initiatives are only underfunded, with governments of especially low-income countries focusing their priorities elsewhere on public health. Funding notwithstanding, cultural stigma is still attached to mental illness apart from funding, wherein individuals fear being ostracized or labeled as "weak" for seeking treatment.
Besides, the shortages of the mental health workforce render such initiatives even less effective. Most countries lack professionals who are trained to deliver mental health care, particularly in rural or remote areas. The shortage of mental health workers further broadens the gap in treatment.
Conclusion
Global mental health initiatives thus have played a very significant role in the response to the increasing global burden of mental illnesses. From the WHO Mental Health Action Plan to the very grassroots level of advocacy, all these place mental health at the front of global health priorities. However, this journey is well far from complete. Equity in mental health will demand even further collaboration on the part of governments, organizations, and individuals to break barriers, reduce stigma, and pursue accessible mental health care for all, irrespective of geographical boundaries.