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The case for change: The Global Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020.

Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: In May 2012 the World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA 65.4, ‘The global burden of mental disorders and the need for a comprehensive, co-ordinated response from health and social sectors at the country level’ and charged the World Health Organization (WHO) with the development of an action plan to respond to this. The zero draft of the Global Mental Health Action Plan 2013–20201 is a discussion paper which, although not yet the official position of the WHO, is worth reading and thinking about. For this action plan to be successful it needs to have the same impact as the Alma Ata Declaration had for primary care in 1978.2,3 Despite all the evidence for good mental healthcare, people with long-term mental health conditions continue to die young as a result of the complications of mental health problems and have a higher mortality as a result of other chronic health difficulties. The relationship between mental health and access to health has been addressed by the WHO on many occasions and also by the World Federation for Mental Health in many of its annual World Mental Health Day Calls to Action.4 The zero draft of the Global Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020 proposes a global vision and some core principles including universal access and equity in mental health; the promotion of human rights; the application of evidence-based practice; the adoption of a life course approach; the adoption of a multisectoral approach and the empowerment of people with mental disorders. If these principles are adopted and implemented they will definitely result in a difference for mental health service users, and their families, globally. I urge all those with an interest in promoting good mental health to support the WHO in ensuring that the Global Mental Health Action Plan can be developed to become a global reality.
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1783831540
FWCI:
Cites: 2
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Related to: 10