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World Mental Health Day October 10, 2008

By Jane Akre

LEARN MORE Mental Health Day, October 10 Injuryboard on depression Injuryboard on U.S. mental health parity bill More about mental health World Federation for Mental Health site   IMAGE SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons/ Mental Health Day/ author: World Federation For Mental Health

12 out of every 100 people suffer a mental disorder, yet three out of four people in developing countries receive no treatment.

That according to the World Health Organization, which issued a report, Mental Health Gap Action Program in advance of World Mental Health Day today.

The day aims to raise public awareness about mental health issues promoting more open discussion of illnesses, and investments in prevention and treatment services.

450 million reportedly have experienced a mental illness and would benefit from a diagnosis and treatment. The WHO is calling on governments to change their policies and practices.

Tens of millions of people should be treated for a wide range of mental illness if countries provided proper care and drugs. 

WHO Mental Health and Substance Abuse Department Director Benedetto Saraceno, tells Voice of America, VOA, the organization's goal is to provide treatment by 2015 for 20 percent of the population who currently are receiving nothing.

"We calculate around 200 million people today are not receiving the treatment they need," Saraceno said. "Twenty percent means 40 million people."

In Africa, it's predicted that it would cost less than $5 a year per person to make epilepsy drugs available. Currently people go untreated.

It would cost 20 cents per person to provide basic treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and alcohol abuse, says the WHO in a statement.  #

 

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jane Akre

Full post as published by InjuryBoard on October 10, 2008 (boomark / email).