WHO Calls For Greater Allocation Of Resources To Address Rising Trend In Mental Disorders

WHO Calls For Greater Allocation Of Resources To Address Rising Trend In Mental Disorders

September 14, 2007

Fifty-eighth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the
Western Pacific
10-14 September 2007, Jeju, Republic of Korea


    JEJU, Republic of Korea, Sept. 14 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/
-- Dr Shigeru Omi, WHO Regional Director for the Western
Pacific, warned of increasing mental and neurological
disorders in many countries in the Region, and the unmet
need for treatment of these disorders.

    (Logo:
http://www.xprn.com/xprn/sa/20061102095006-51-min.jpg )

    Mental health is not high on the agenda in many
countries and areas in the Region, and as a result,
resources are scarce and difficult to access. Resource
allocation is less than 1% of the total health budget in
half of the countries and areas in the Region.

    A WHO global project found that among patients with
mental disorders in less developed countries, as many as
85% received no treatment in the prior 12 months. 
"This is consistent with findings from our mental
health situation analysis conducted in the Region,"
said Dr Omi.

    For 2002, the most recent year for which comprehensive
data are available, mental and neurological disorders
accounted for nearly 18% of the total disease burden in the
Western Pacific Region, with depression alone responsible
for more than 6% of that burden.  There were approximately
331 000 suicides in the Region in 2002, and the number of
cases would have been significantly reduced had there been
more outreach programmes, Dr Omi noted.
    
    "The notion that mental disorders are problems of
only wealthy, industrialized countries is simply
wrong," Dr Omi said. "The poor are more likely to
suffer from these disorders.  Mental and neurological
disorders can have a severe impact on the ability to earn a
living, thereby contributing to the cycle of poverty."


    Integrating mental health care into general health
services, particularly at the primary level, is expected to
improve screening and treatment, limit the stigma associated
with accepting treatment, and improve the treatment of
physical problems of those suffering from mental illness.

    Dr Omi urged Member States to come up with innovative
programmes as well as to further develop workforces
necessary for modern mental health care.  He cited the WHO
Pacific Islands Mental Health Network (PIMHnet) as a good
example.  A joint initiative of the WHO Regional Office for
the Western Pacific and WHO Headquarters, PIMHnet was
launched in March 2007 to address geographical and resource
constraints in the field of mental health.  Seventeen
countries and areas are currently members of PIMHnet, and
more countries are expected to join this year.

    Dr Omi called on the Regional Committee for the Western
Pacific, WHO's governing body in the Region, meeting in
Jeju, to look into ways to overcome the major barriers that
hamper the improvement of mental health services. Meanwhile,
the Regional Committee urged Member States to increase
political, financial and technical commitment in order to
address mental, behavioural and neurological disorders.


    For more information, please contact:

    World Health Organization
     Ms Marilu Lingad
     Tel:[phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Mr Peter Cordingley
     Tel: [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]