The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched new guidance aimed at helping countries strengthen their mental health policies and systems. Mental health services worldwide remain underfunded, with significant gaps in access and quality. In some countries, up to 90% of people with severe mental health conditions receive no care, and many existing services rely on outdated institutional models that fail to meet international human rights standards.

The guidance provides a clear framework to transform mental health services, ensuring quality care is accessible to all. It focuses on five key areas for reform: leadership and governance, service organisation, workforce development, person-centred interventions, and addressing social and structural determinants of mental health. The guidance promotes a holistic approach, addressing not just mental health but also lifestyle, physical health, and the social and economic factors that influence mental well-being.

This guidance is designed to be flexible, allowing countries to tailor their mental health policies based on their national context, needs, and available resources. Developed in consultation with global experts, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience, it builds on the WHO QualityRights initiative, which advocates for a person-centred, recovery-orientated approach to mental health. WHO has committed to supporting countries in implementing these strategies through technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives.

Source: World Health Organisation