The World Health Assembly on May 29 approved a draft resolution advising member countries to incorporate mental health support in their response to humanitarian crises.
Over the last decade, one in five, or 22 per cent of people have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, following war or conflicts, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Those suffering from pre-existing mental health conditions are particularly vulnerable during emergencies, the United Nations health agency said.
The draft document presented to the assembly expressed concern at the continued discrimination and stigma suffered by victims of armed conflicts and natural disasters.
The resolution called upon member states to carry out the WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-30 adopted at the 66th World Health Assembly, which included goals to achieve universal health coverage for mental health. Further, the draft said that progress would be followed in annual reports presented to the assembly from 2025 to 2031.
The draft was proposed by Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Guatemala, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
It requested the director-general to ensure that, “WHO has the capacity and resources at all levels to facilitate inter-agency coordination on mental health and psychosocial support to support Member States.”
The draft recognised, “the increased risk faced by children, women, caregivers, persons with disabilities and survivors of all forms of violence, including gender-based violence, as well as others who are in vulnerable or marginalised situations across the life course.”
The resolution urged member states to strengthen local and community-based services to respond to psychosocial needs in emergencies. It also advised them to build local capacities and provide psychosocial support through formal referral systems.
It recommended a range of services such as “safe digital technologies, mental health care integrated with general health services, mental health and psychosocial support in schools and social services, and specialised mental health services”.
On World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2023, WHO published a report titled Mental Health of Refugees and Migrants: Risk and Protective Factors and Access to Care.
The report found that an extended stay in asylum centres could lead to a 30-fold increase in the risk of psychopathology among children aged 11-16 years. These associations were more common among unaccompanied or separated children, who relocated within the asylum system several times.
Recently, an investment case was launched by WHO for its financial strategy (2025-28) with a total budget of $11.1 billion. “Member States have set a path to increase assessed contributions that will cover $4 billion of this budget. This leaves a WHO funding gap of $7.1 billion, which needs to be filled through voluntary contributions,” the organisation said.
Assessed contributions are membership fees paid to the WHO, while voluntary contributions are given in addition to these fees and are not compulsory contributions.