In a majority of countries, less than 2% of health funds are spent on mental health.
Worldwide, every 40 seconds, one person dies of suicide – one of the leading causes of death among young adults. Suicide is a condition that is preventable.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 75% of people suffering from mental disorders in the developing world receive no treatment or care.
WHO is calling on governments, donors and mental health stakeholders to rapidly increase funding and basic mental health services to close this huge treatment gap.
Original Source: www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr37/en/index.html
A few days ago, WHO launched “the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) which aims at scaling up services for mental, neurological and substance use disorders for countries especially with low- and middle-income. The programme asserts that with proper care, psychosocial assistance and medication, tens of millions could be treated for depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy, prevented from suicide and begin to lead normal lives – even where resources are scarce.”
Original Source: www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/en/