Abu Dhabi

Source: Mufakiru Alemarat

Dr. Ali Mohamed Al Khouri

A report by the Lancet Medical Commission indicates that mental disorders will cost the global economy approximately $16 trillion by 2030; This is in light of the presence of more than two billion people worldwide who suffer from mental illnesses. A previous study conducted by the World Economic Forum and the Harvard School of Public Health indicated that the world will witness an unprecedented increase in global spending on treating psychological and mental health diseases. Reaching $6 trillion by the same year.

What is striking is the large proportion of cases in which mental health affects daily life, with major depression expected to become the main cause of the burden of disease globally in the next six years. Recent studies indicate that one-third of the years in which individuals suffer from disabilities are due to mental health problems, and that one-eighth of the years of “healthy” life lost globally are due to psychological problems, and that approximately 14.3 percent of deaths worldwide, or eight Millions of deaths annually, resulting from mental health problems.

Studies also show that individuals with severe psychological conditions have significantly lower life expectancies, primarily due to preventable physical ailments. These alarming statistics are compounded by large treatment gaps, especially in low-income countries; For example, about 71 percent of individuals with psychosis (i.e., those who suffer from hallucinatory episodes, delusions, and thought disorder) lack mental health services. According to estimates; Countries still spend less than 2 percent of their health budgets on mental health, even though the burden of disease may require spending about 10 percent of the budget to deal with.

The World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization, which includes health ministers from 194 member states, adopted a comprehensive plan of action for mental health 2013-2030, in which it set ambitious goals to transform the global approach to dealing with mental health, provide care and psychosocial support services, and enhance Mental health research and data collection systems. According to the opinions of specialists; Progress on this plan, and change on the ground around the world, remains slow, and mental health remains one of the most neglected areas of public health, with insufficient funding and resource allocations, despite the vital role that good mental health plays. In supporting the broader goals of economic and social development of communities and countries.

All of these data have prompted an assessment of the impact of this issue on work systems at the national level, and necessarily require the adoption of comprehensive national policies that view mental health as a vital component of community health and safety. For these policies to succeed, governments must first work to ensure equitable access to mental health services, address disparities among different populations, and seek to remove barriers to accessing these services, including physical, cultural, and linguistic barriers. In this context, the role of technology in providing digital platforms that provide psychiatric services for treatment, early intervention, and ongoing support cannot be underestimated. Digital applications can be the preferred channels for accessing mental health services, especially if we take into account the hesitant nature of personalization for fear of social stigma.

National policies must also extend beyond traditional healthcare systems, and consider the broader contexts of public health, and the role of other sectors such as education, employment, justice and social services in treatment, prevention and early intervention; The role of these sectors remains the most important and prominent in addressing the broader social determinants affecting an individual’s mental health.

It is very important to support and fund research projects and the development of new treatments to gain a better understanding of causal relationships and contributing factors to mental illness. Research must include exploring the impact of social and economic factors such as poverty, unemployment, social isolation, and discrimination, and the effectiveness of various policies in improving targeted outcomes. These efforts must coincide with investment in improving the quality of data and information to enable the collection of accurate and up-to-date data, and enable effective planning and evaluation of policies and programmes.

National policies must support media and educational campaigns, both direct and indirect. To encourage individuals to seek help, and increase community awareness on the issue of mental health by employing awareness-raising advertisements in the media, organizing educational events and workshops, and exploiting the power of social media; Public policies must also encourage work environments to provide programs that enhance employees’ mental health, and provide them with sufficient understanding and awareness to deal with personal psychological pressures, or with potential situations in their surroundings. These programs and work policies can help employees manage stress and improve psychological balance.

Overall, these strategic inputs collectively challenge policy makers in the Arab region to redefine the issue of mental health and consider it a pillar of progress and development. Implementing such policies requires close cooperation between government institutions, civil society, the private sector, and different population segments. Creating such collaborative circles can contribute to expanding the range of services available and ensuring the provision of high-quality care that is accessible to all. To act as complementary links to achieving economic stability priorities and ensuring the success of comprehensive and sustainable development policies.