The World Health Organization sees Europe as having a difficult time in the fight against mental health problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
“Our region is going through great turmoil and change,” said Hans Kluge of the World Health Organization, in Copenhagen on Wednesday. He added that the pandemic has put mental health in the spotlight, while the armed conflict in Ukraine is affecting the mental well-being of millions of people.
“The 10 weeks of war in Ukraine have given rise to an incalculable amount of uncertainty, insecurity, grief and loss,” Kluge said. He highlighted about 190 attacks on health services in Ukraine, which he said “has robbed countless people of hope and prevented them from accessing health services”.
Kluge made the remarks as he announced the first meeting of the Pan-European Alliance for Mental Health, which aims to encourage action at all levels to address neglected mental health needs across Europe.
The alliance was launched in September 2021 and includes 53 countries in the WHO’s Europe region, as well as international NGOs, experts and people affected by mental health problems.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 150 million people in the region experienced mental health problems in 2021. Only one in three people with depression currently receives the help they need. She said that mental health problems affect all age groups and all social classes.