Message of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, on the Occasion of World Mental Health Day 2012

Today, 10 October, we, with the rest of the world, are celebrating World Mental Health Day 2012. The theme for the Day is “Depression, a Global Crisis". This theme draws attention to the global burden of depression and the urgent need for its prevention and timely treatment of cases. 

Depression is a serious and complex mental disorder that can affect anyone. It is one of the leading causes of disability and contributes significantly to the global burden of disease. The major causes of depression include alcohol and drug abuse, sudden economic loss, violence, wars, and displacement of people. It is estimated that about 350 million people worldwide are affected by this. If not properly treated, depression becomes chronic, recurrent, often leading to disability and sometimes suicide. Globally about 850 000 lives are lost every year due to suicide. Data on the prevalence of depression in the African Region is very limited but some isolated studies indicate that, in some parts of the Region, depression occurs in about 3% of the population. 

Depression can be prevented if emotional and behavioral problems are detected in childhood and adolescence. Abstaining from psychotropic substances and abuse of alcohol, maintaining proper diet and physical activity all improve wellbeing and therefore help prevent depression. 

Recognizing the need for action to reduce the burden of depression including enhancing the capacity of countries in this area, WHO developed and made available to Member States guidelines and tools for responding to this growing problem.

In 2008, WHO launched the mental health Global Action Programme that focuses on advocacy, initiatives and guidance for improving Member States’ systems of health care delivery for people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Depression is one of the priority conditions of the programme being implemented in four countries in the African Region. Five other countries have initiated training programmes for primary health care workers to support implementation of the programme. However, the resources allocated to prevent, identify and treat depression remain inadequate. 

As we commemorate this year’s World Mental Health Day, I call upon Member States to increase support to mental health programmes by allocating adequate human and financial resources for responding to depression. Capacity building and integration of mental health into primary care, as well as community-based services, have been shown to be cost-effective and fundamental for good mental health outcomes. Availability of medication and access to proper information with well-structured psychotherapy are effective measures for the treatment of depression and should be delivered at the primary care level.

I appeal to Member States to fully integrate mental health into their national health development agenda. In this regard, the Brazzaville Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases outlines the interventions required for the integration process. 

Strengthening collaboration between governments, partners, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders for the improvement of mental health in the Region is vital. 

For its part, WHO is committed to supporting Member States to address this important public health problem. 

Depression is preventable and treatable if diagnosed early. Avoiding stress, preventing substance abuse, maintaining proper diet and physical activity will all improve people’s wellbeing and help prevent depression. 

There is no health without mental health 

The time to act is now! 

I thank you

 

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