let's invest in mind

8/3/2019 Let's Invest in Mind

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Lets invest in mind

That is what messages us this years mental health day

Every year 10th

October is celebrated as world mental health, whose aim

surrounds around raising public awareness about mental health issues. In light of

the widespread concern for poor allocation of financial & human resource in

mental health this years mental health day comes with the message & theme

investing in mental health.

The financial & human resources allocated for mental health remain

inadequate especially in low resource countries. Majority of low & middle income

countries spend less than 2% of their health budget on mental health. Mental &

behavioral disorders account for 13% of global burden of diseases, yet on average

the mental health budgets of countries constitute only 2% of their total health

expenditure.

Even though mental, brain & substance use disorders can be managed with

medication &/or psychosocial interventions, only a small percentage of patients

with such disorders receive even the most basic treatment. Initial treatment is

delayed for many years. In developed countries with well organized health care

systems, between 40% to 70% of patients with depression, alcohol use disorders

& child & adolescent mental illnesses do not receive treatment in any given year.

In developing countries with likely 90% treatment gap for these disorders, most

individuals with severe mental health disorders are left to cope as best they can.

Worldwide more than 40% countries do not have a health policy & over 30% have

no mental health programme. More than 90% countries are without a health

policy that includes children & adolescents. Out of pocket expenditure is the

primary method of financing mental health in many countries (16.4%).Even in

countries where insurance cover is provided, health plans frequently does not

cover behavioral & mental disorders at the same level as other illnesses, which

creates significant economic difficulties for patients & their families.


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More concerning apart from poor allocation of resources in developing

countries in the wrong investment. Nearly 80% of the mental health budget is

spent on mental hospitals that serve only 7% of patients, whereas majority of the

people with such disorders can be successfully treated through integrated mental

health services in primary care & community. The service gap for children &

adolescents is much higher than for adults. This is in spite of the fact that

providing services to children & adolescents often prevents lifelong disabilities.

The alarming low level of resources available in developing countries to treat

mental illnesses, relative to the affected population for which the resources are

needed must be highlighted. The generation of more evidence based approach to

mental health budgetary planning, resource allocation & service development

represents an underdeveloped but much need component of national healthpolicies in developing world. The underlying recognition of mental health as a

significant international public health issue has led to the growing need to

demonstrate that investment of resources in service development is not only

required, but also worthwhile. Specifically it is important to collect evidence of

effective & appropriate mental health care strategy that are also cost effective &

sustainable.

Although the volume of completed studies remains modest, particularly in lowincome countries, there is increasing economic evidence to support the argument

that interventions for schizophrenia, depression & other mental disorders are not

only available but are also affordable & cost effective.

To reduce the increasing burden of mental disorders & avoid years lived with

disability or death, priority should be given to prevention & promotion in mental

health. These strategies can be used by clinicians to target individual patients &

by public health programme planners to target large population groups.

Integrating preventive & promotive programmes with overall public health will

help to avoid deaths, reduce stigma attached to persons with such disorders &

improve social & economic environment.

Given the prevalence of mental health & substance abuse problems in adults &

children it is very natural that there is an enormous emotional & financial burden


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on individuals, their families & society as a whole. The economic impacts of

mental illnesses effect personal income, ability of ill persons & often their care

givers to work productively in the work place & contributions to national

economy, as well as the utilization of treatment & support services

Today as many as 430 million people suffer from a mental disorder; nearly 1

million people commit suicide every year,1 in 4 families at least 1 member with is

having a mental disorder. Family members are often the primary caregivers of

people with mental disorders. The extent of the burden of mental disorders on

family members is difficult to assess & is consequently often ignored. The burden

of mental illnesses is expected to rise significantly in next 20 years. Are we doing

enough?

Investing in mental health today can generate enormous returns by reducing

disabilities & preventing premature deaths. The priorities are well known & the

initiatives, projects & activities needed are clear & possible. It is our responsibility

to turn them into reality.

With lack of adequate estimates about the prevalence of mental illnesses in

india, it believed that such disorders are as common as erstwhile.Therefore

mental health being recognized as an important public health issue craves for

more investment both material & human resource to cater the needs of

population.

Very low & poor mental health budget, lack of adequate human resource, proper

estimates of the severity of issue & a proper mental health policy should be the

focus to cater this growing concern. Our mental health policy is still in embryonic

stage. Increased mental health budget, adequate human resource in terms of

psychiatrists, psychologists & mental health social workers, infrastructure

development hospitals & psychiatric settings, provision of guidance & counselingin NMHP & DMHP & integration of mental health care with primary care are some

of focus areas in this regard.

The concern of mental health is more alarming & significant to the valley as well

where it is believed that it has the highest prevalence of mental health disorders


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In the country. In a place where every 1 family among 10 families has a lost

someone & which has been suffering under the armed conflict of more than two

decades, accompanied with the increasing unemployment & breakdown of

traditional family & cultural ties the mental health problems have shown a high

increase in recent years, which was the reason that certain voluntary

organizations felt the need to intervene here in this arena. However the problems

& concerns remain the same though with higher frequency. Most of the

psychiatrists being confined to Srinagar city & their less numbers make it

insufficient for the population & leaves many untreated specially toward rural &

sub urban areas or delayed treatment in many cases. With continuous instability

& rise in such disorders the health sector needs to focus more on this sector by

allocating more financial & human resources. Proper implementation of NMHP &

DMHP with provision of guidance & counseling & integration of mental health

care with primary health care should be focus of policy makers. We need a

comprehensive strategy & policy which addresses all aspects preventive, curative

as well as promotional aspect of mental health. Voluntary sector which has

contributed in this sector needs to be more innovative & wider in coverage in

developing a proper progress in helping valley come out of mental illnesses

Todays world mental health day asks us all to put an effort in increasing

investment & contribution towards turning mental health into mental good

health and reducing the sufferings of people with such illnesses; so if you are

A concerned citizen/person with a mental disorder

Support & mobilize people with mental disorders in youcountry,community,society to self organize & advocate for change

Educate yourself & raise awareness about mental health 7 human rightsissues

Advocate for increased funding for mental health to improve access &quality of treatment & care


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Promote positive attitudes, non discrimination for people with suchdisorders

Volunteer to helpA health care provider

Respect the dignity & promote the rights of people with mentalhealth disorders

Ensure provision of good quality mental health care within the healthcare system & community

A policy maker

Identify new resources for mental health e.g. increasing tax ontobacco products

Relocate investment from large hospitals to primary healthcare & community mental health care

Foster intersectional collaboration. Adopt & promote mentalhealth policies, laws & services that support comprehensive

education,employment,housing & social services for peoplewith mental disorders

A donor foundation or NGO

Include mental health in all health related programmes Advocate for policies that promote the rights of people

with mental disorders

Support the development & functioning of services inprimary care & the community


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let's invest in mind

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