Mental health conditions contribute to poor health outcomes, premature death, human rights violations, and global and national economic loss. The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has identified mental health for accelerated implementation of the 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13), covering 2019-2025[1]. Mental health is high on the global health agenda following COVID-19, increased conflicts and climate emergencies, and growing economic uncertainties. The time to act is now.
The vision of the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health is that all people achieve the highest standard of mental health and well-being. It was launched in 2019 for implementation over 5-years, in 12 countries at a cost of US$ 60 million.
The goal of the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health is to ensure universal health coverage involving access to quality and affordable care for mental health, neurological and substance use conditions for 100 million more people. The Special Initiative for Mental Health focuses on two strategic actions:
- advancing mental health policies, advocacy and human rights, and
- scaling up quality interventions and services for individuals with mental health, substance use and neurological conditions.
The foundation of the Special Initiative for Mental Health is to work in partnership with Member States, local, and international partners, as well as organisations of people with lived experience. It aligns fully with global mental health mandates[2] and recommendations[3], contributes to WHOs GPW13[4] triple billion targets and universal health coverage agenda, including to leave no one behind. In doing so, WHOs Special Initiative for Mental Health contributes, directly and indirectly, to multiple Sustainable Development Goals[5].
WHOs Special Initiative for Mental Health is underway in nine countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, Ghana, Jordan, Nepal, Paraguay, the Philippines, Ukraine and Zimbabwe. It has contributed to nearly 6 million more girls, boys, women and men having mental health and psychosocial support services available in their communities; trained more than 5,500 individuals; and is collaborating with over 450 partner organisations.
1. In resolution EB150.R4, WHO’s Executive Board recommended that the Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly in May 2022 extend the endpoint of the Thirteenth General Programme of Work by two years from 2023 to 2025.
[2] E.g., the updated Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030
[3] E.g., the World mental health report: Transforming mental health for all
[4] WHO’s GPW13 targets 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 35, 36, 39, and 41, covering a wide range of health priorities
[5] Directly, SDG 3: Good health and well-being, and indirectly, SDGs 1 (No poverty), 4 (Quality education), 5 (Gender equity), 8 (Decent work and economic growth), 10 (Reduced inequalities), 13 (Climate action), 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions), and 17 (Partnerships for the goals).