April 20, 2021. - PAHO’s Mental Health and Substance Use Unit hosted a webinar on April 20th, to discuss the results from the regional Plan of Action on Mental Health 2015-2020 and how to go forward with lessons learned from the past five years.
PAHO’s plan of action 2015-2020 is aligned with WHO’s Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013-2020 aiming to address the high burden of morbidity and mortality due to mental, neurological, and substance use disorders and death by suicide in the Region of the Americas. With the Covid-19 pandemic impacting the Region at the highest rate in the world, its burden is profoundly affecting the mental health of the population in the Americas.
Over the past five years, the plan of action has revealed that investment in mental health within the Americas is insufficient and that mental health information systems need to be strengthened. Gains have been made in reducing the role of psychiatric hospitals in the public mental health system and integrating mental healthcare into primary care.
Actions need to be taken to strengthen the prevention of death by suicide, which is rising in the Region. The Covid-19 pandemic has increased attention on mental health and this momentum must be harnessed in the wake of the pandemic but also in the long-term.
The discussion and questions & answers with Member States revealed the desire for further dialogue on how to improve different aspects of mental health within the Region. More dialogue is also necessary to conclude if Member States want to extend the regional plan of action to 2030 specifically for the Americas.