Doha: Under the motto of mental health in humanitarian emergencies, the world will mark World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, aiming to raise public awareness of mental health issues, foster more open discussions on mental disorders, and mobilize investments in preventive and treatment services.
According to Qatar News Agency, the observance of this day began in 1992 as an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). This year’s commemoration focuses on supporting those afflicted by conflicts, wars, and natural disasters, reaffirming that there is no complete health without mental health and that mental health services must form an integral part of emergency response frameworks.
In a world of accelerating pace, overlapping crises, and mounting pressures, this day stands out as a reminder of the imperative of inner peace. It calls for redefining mental health not as a luxury or personal choice, but as an urgent human necessity, a fundamental pillar of dignified living, and an inalienable human right. At its essence, mental health is a state of psychological well-being that enables individuals to withstand life’s pressures, realize their potential, learn effectively, and contribute productively to their communities.
The State of Qatar prioritizes public health as part of its commitment to ensuring the well-being of the population. Through the Qatar National Vision 2030, efforts continue to be enhanced to safeguard both physical and mental health, underpinned by national strategies and comprehensive frameworks designed to promote psychological well-being. These initiatives aim to develop an integrated system that guarantees access to appropriate care at the right time and place.
Reaffirming its commitment to mental health as an essential component of sustainable human development, the State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Public Health, hosted on Sept. 30 the 6th Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit under the theme “Transforming Mental Health through Investment, Innovation, and Digital Solutions”. The summit convened ministers, senior officials, and representatives of international and regional organizations, alongside experts and specialists from around the world, to address pressing issues of mental health and develop global strategies to tackle them.
HE Minister of Public Health Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud emphasized that the summit and its deliberations reaffirmed a shared global commitment to improving mental health at the national, regional, and international levels. He noted that the summit’s outcomes and priority areas would serve to strengthen investment in mental health, promote innovation and digital solutions, and advance equity, inclusivity, cooperation, and knowledge exchange, which are essential to addressing significant challenges facing global mental health and achieving sustained improvement in mental health services for all.
Held under the patronage of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, the two-day event adopted key priorities aimed at supporting governments in converting global commitments into national action plans that deliver concrete progress in mental health care.
Crises such as natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies impose significant mental suffering, as they often result in family disintegration, disruption of livelihoods, and interruption of essential services. Virtually all affected individuals experience psychological distress, and emergencies can exacerbate pre-existing mental health problems and social crises, including poverty and discrimination, while also giving rise to novel challenges such as family separation and substance abuse.
Supporting mental health during these crises is not merely a priority but life-saving, empowering individuals to cope, recover, and rebuild, underscoring the critical need for coordinated action by government officials, healthcare and social service providers, and community organizations.
In 2024, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution to strengthen mental health and psychosocial support across all phases of emergencies, ensuring the provision of integrated, high-quality mental health services accessible to all. The resolution urges member states to implement the WHO’s comprehensive mental health action plan, directing long-term investments toward community-based services and cross-sectoral coordination.
By mid-2024, over 122 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, including 68 million internally displaced persons, 38 million refugees, 8 million asylum seekers, and approximately 6 million others requiring global protection. Refugees and migrants exposed to hardship face a heightened risk of mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, compared with host populations.
International guidelines recommend a range of interventions to provide mental health and psychosocial support during emergencies, from self-help and psychological first aid to clinical mental health care. Preparedness and integration with disaster risk reduction efforts are essential to mitigate these impacts, and affected countries can leverage opportunities presented by emergencies to invest in mental health, capitalizing on the increased attention and aid to develop long-term, robust care systems.
Reflecting the global dimension of mental health, the United Nations General Assembly, during its 80th session in September, convened a high-level meeting examining mental health as a central global issue. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored that non-communicable diseases and mental health disorders represent some of the greatest public health and development challenges of our time. He stressed the need to strengthen mental and social health care in humanitarian crisis settings, ensure sustainable financing, and place individuals living with non-communicable diseases and mental health disorders at the core of these efforts.
The meeting, held under the banner: “Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being”, reviewed a draft Political Declaration aimed at renewing global commitment and accelerating efforts to tackle non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory illnesses, while elevating mental health and well-being as a top global priority.