New Delhi, Sep 25 (NationPress) World leaders are set to engage in discussions surrounding mental health care during a high-level gathering of the UN General Assembly this Thursday.

The Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) presents a distinctive, once-in-a-decade opportunity to establish a new, ambitious, and feasible political declaration on NCDs and mental health conditions looking towards 2030 and beyond.

“This marks the first occasion that we can report over one billion individuals experiencing a mental health issue,” stated Dr. Devora Kestel, acting Director of NCDs and Mental Health/NMH at the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Merely nine percent of individuals suffering from depression, the most prevalent mental health condition, actually receive necessary support. Similarly, only 40 percent of those with psychosis get assistance. This indicates that nations must devise more effective strategies to enhance access to mental health services,” Kestel continued.

Even where services do exist, accessibility remains a challenge due to factors like cost, distance, or insufficient integration with other health resources.

Additionally, stigma plays a considerable role in discouraging those facing mental health challenges from seeking help.

Alongside mental health, the event will also focus on the prevention and management of other NCDs, which continue to be primary causes of death and disability globally.

For numerous individuals facing NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory illnesses, physical and mental health conditions often intersect.

“Member States have opted to highlight issues common across non-communicable diseases, as well as specific concerns related to mental health, including child and youth mental health, suicide prevention, and community-level service development,” remarked Dr. Kestel.

The UN high-level meeting serves as a pivotal opportunity to firmly position mental health and NCDs on the global agenda.