UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres emphasized today that the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on people’s psychological well-being are now becoming visible.
However, this is „only the beginning“, he was quoted in a broadcast by the United Nations in Vienna. „Many groups, including the elderly, women, children and people with existing mental illnesses, are exposed to significant health risks in the medium and long term,“ said Guterres.
“Too few people have access to quality mental health services. In low and middle income countries, more than 75 percent of people with mental illness are receiving no treatment at all, ”he said.
„This can not go on like this anymore“
“Overall, governments spend, on average, less than two percent of their health budgets on mental health. It cannot go on like this, ”criticized Guterres in a statement on tomorrow’s World Mental Health Day.
According to the UN, almost a billion people worldwide live with a mental disorder. Every 40 seconds someone dies by suicide. According to Guterres, all of this was true before the pandemic broke out. „We must now work together to provide high-quality psychiatric care to all who need them so that we can recover more quickly from the Covid-19 crisis,“ said the UN Secretary-General.
Help in the event of a crisis
Reports of (possible) suicides can make the situation worse for people in crisis. The Psychiatric Immediate Aid offers advice and support around the clock on 01/313 30 in the event of a crisis.
