The World Psychiatry Association's (WPA) President has been asked to join The World Health Organisation (WHO) to assist in identifying gaps and finding solutions to the mental health impacts of COVID-19.
Mental health conditions, one of the leading causes of suffering and disability in the European Region, have exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone’s mental health has been affected in some way, whether as a result of the worry about becoming infected, or the stress brought about by measures such as lockdown, self-isolation/quarantine, unemployment, home schooling etc..
The WHO European Region has set up a Technical Advisory Group on the mental health impacts of COVID-19. WPA's President has been invited to join this group and assist in supporting the WHO’s efforts tackle the health impacts of this pandemic.
The participants, drawn from across the Region, represent scientific experts in the field of COVID-19 and mental health, service providers and managers on the front line, mental health service users, family advocates, and COVID-19 survivors.
The group, tasked with reviewing evidence, identifying gaps and exploring solutions, will inform and support countries’ efforts in addressing mental health needs within and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Identifying needs and strengthening mental health services
Over the coming months, the Technical Advisory Group will review and synthesise available evidence from the population level, the policy and service level as well as the individual level, and highlight emergent needs and implications for the development of mental health services in the WHO European Region.
The Group’s recommendations will feed into a mental health framework for action, which is to be presented to the WHO Regional Committee for Europe – WHO’s decision-making body in the Region – in September 2021.
You can read the full article on The WHO website here.
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