New Delhi, India: India has insisted the world into joining hands to fight against mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorders.

Foreseeing depression as the leading cause of global disease burden by 2030, the World Health Organization (WHO), announced a resolution on “Global Burden of Mental Disorders and the need for a comprehensive, coordinated response at the country level” at the end of its annual board meeting on Monday. Union health secretary P. K. Pradhan, of India, moved the resolution on January 20, in Geneva.

WHO also recommended member states, to develop comprehensive policies and strategies that address the promotion of mental health, prevention of mental disorders and early identification, care, support, treatment and recovery. It also suggested governments to promote human rights, tackle stigma, address poverty and homelessness, deal with major modifiable risks; generate opportunities for income, provide housing, education and healthcare service.

On a concerning plight, WHO reports reveal that mental disorders account for 13 percent of the global burden of diseases. Of them, the unipolar depressive disorder, alone, is the third leading cause of disease burden, accounting for 4.3% of the global burden of disease.

Further, bringing to notice, WHO said that there exists a deficiency all over the world with respect to the need for treatment for mental ailments. Specific details depicted that 76 percent and 85 percent of people with severe mental disorders receive no treatment for their mental health problem in low and middle-income countries; and the corresponding range for high-income countries is also significantly, high: between 35 percent and 50 percent.

In view of the developments, Ghulam Nabi Azad, the union health minister, said that approximately one million Indians are in need of mental health services. He added that one in four families is expected to have at least one member with a behavioral or mental disorder.

Adding a note on the treatment scenario, he pointed out that India only has 23% of required psychiatrists, 25% of psychiatric nurses and only 3% of clinical psychologists and psychiatric social workers; in absolute numbers, they add up to 3,500 psychiatrists, 500 clinical psychologists, 300 psychiatric social workers and about a 1,000 psychiatric nurses. Though 30,000 beds are required for the mentally ill patients, only a mere 200 beds are available.

He conveyed, “Even by very conservative yardstick, there is a shortage of about 8,000 psychiatrists, 17,000 clinical psychologists, 23,000 psychiatric social workers and 9,000 psychiatric nurses.”

While on a global scale, nurses make up the largest professional group working in the mental health sector; a recent analysis suggests that for 58 low and middle-income countries there has been a shortfall of 128, 000 nurses.

Popularity: 7% [?]