The World Health Organisation has warned of the growing burden of mental health, and the growing neglect as countries battle other health emergencies.
The WHO says about one billion people are now living with a mental disorder.
Kenya's ministry of Health says that one in every 10 Kenyans suffer from a mental disorder.
According to the WHO, so many people have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which is having a further impact on people’s mental health.
The WHO is now calling for increased investments into mental health around the world.
“We are already seeing the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on people’s mental well-being, and this is just the beginning. Unless we make serious commitments to scale up investment in mental health right now, the health, social and economic consequences will be far-reaching,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO said in a statement.
The call has been made a month ahead of the World Mental Health Day, which will be marked on October 10.
In a statement, the organisation says more than 75 per cent of people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders receive no treatment for their condition at all.
The call is backed by the United for Global Mental Health and the World Federation for Mental Health.
“World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for the world to come together and begin redressing the historic neglect of mental health,” said Dr Tedros said.
The WHO said most countries spend on average only two per cent of their health budgets on mental health.
“It is nearly 30 years since the first World Mental Health Day was launched by the World Federation for Mental Health,” said Dr Ingrid Daniels, president of the federation.
“During that time, we have seen an increasing openness to talk about mental health in many countries of the world. But now we must turn words into actions. We need to see concerted efforts being made to build mental health systems that are appropriate and relevant for today’s – and tomorrow’s - world."
“With so many people lacking access to good quality, appropriate mental health services, investment is needed now more than ever,” said Elisha London, Founder and CEO of United for Global Mental Health.
