Over One Billion People Lived with Mental Health Conditions in 2021, WHO Reports
The World Health Organisation has reported that over a billion people globally, or about one in seven, were living with mental health conditions in 2021. Anxiety and depressive disorders were the most prevalent. The 'World Mental Health Today' report underscores the immense human and economic toll, with productivity losses from depression and anxiety estimated at $1 trillion annually. The WHO highlighted significant gaps in care, with governments globally spending only about 2% of health budgets on mental health.
Unpacked:
Mental health often faces stigma and lower prioritization compared to physical illnesses. Many governments focus funds on acute, visible health crises. In developing countries, limited resources, competing health needs, and lack of mental health advocacy contribute to underfunding, despite growing recognition of the economic and social costs.
Barriers include a shortage of trained professionals, especially in low- and middle-income countries, insufficient funding, stigma, lack of community-based services, and poor integration of mental health into primary care. In many places, care is concentrated in urban centers, leaving rural populations underserved.
High-income countries generally offer more accessible, specialized, and comprehensive mental health services, while low- and middle-income countries face severe shortages of specialists, infrastructure, and funding. Innovative community-based or task-shifting models are used in some developing countries to address these gaps.
Successful strategies include community-based care, task-shifting to non-specialist health workers, use of digital health tools, and culturally adapted interventions. Projects like Zimbabwe’s Friendship Bench and Kenya’s inclusion of traditional healers have improved access and engagement. International support and local adaptation are also crucial.