The World Health Organisation (WHO) says more than one billion people are currently living with mental health disorders, making it one of the most pressing public health challenges worldwide.
The figure, published in new WHO reports released on Tuesday, shows that conditions such as anxiety and depression are “inflicting human and economic tolls,” with millions lacking access to adequate care.
“Transforming mental health services is one of the most pressing public health challenges,” WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, was quoted in a statement sent to newsmen.
“Investing in mental health means investing in people, communities, and economies. 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 WHO, anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent in all countries and among all income levels.
They are the second biggest cause of long-term disability, contributing to loss of healthy life years and rising health care costs.
WHO added that the impact also extends to the global economy, noting that depression and anxiety alone cost about $1 trillion annually in lost productivity, far exceeding the direct costs of health care.
The global health body described suicide as a devastating outcome of mental health conditions, which claimed an estimated 727,000 lives in 2021. It remains one of the leading causes of death among young people worldwide.
