GENEVA – The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Wednesday of a sharp increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression related to the Covid-19 pandemic, caused largely by social isolation, said Xinhua.
According to a scientific brief released by the WHO, in the first year of the pandemic, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25 per cent.
Ninety per cent of the countries surveyed included mental health and psychosocial support in their Covid-19 response plans, but major gaps and concerns remain.
The WHO brief said that young people, whose mental health has been affected by Covid-19, are disproportionally at risk of suicidal and self-harming behaviours. Women have been more severely impacted than men, and people with pre-existing physical health conditions, such as asthma, cancer or heart disease, are more likely to develop symptoms of mental disorders when infected with Covid-19.
According to a recent WHO survey, 90 per cent of countries are working to provide mental health and psychosocial support to Covid-19 patients and responders alike, but a chronic global shortage of mental health resources still continues today.
The WHO’s most recent “Mental Health Atlas” showed that in 2020, governments worldwide spent on average just over two per cent of their health budgets on mental health and many low-income countries reported having fewer than one mental health worker per 100,000 people.
Devora Kestel said, Covid-19 has revealed historical under-investment in mental health services. Countries must act urgently to ensure that mental health support is available to all.
Source: BERNAMA
