WHO simplifies cure of mental and neurological disorders

Millions of people with common but untreated, mental, neurological and matter use disorders can now benefit from new simplified diagnosis and treatment rule released today by the World Health Organization. The guidelines are designed to facilitate the management of depression, alcohol use disorders, epilepsy and other common mental disorders in the primary healthcare. The intervention guide extends competence in diagnosis and management to non-mental health specialists including doctors, nurses and other health providers.

The WHO estimates that more than 75 per cent of people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders - including nearly 95 million people with sadness and more than 25 million people with epilepsy - living in developing countries did not receive any treatment or care. Improvement in mental health services does not require complicated and expensive technologies. An estimated one in four people globally will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. In the majority of countries, less than two per cent of health funds are spent on mental health. As a result, a large majority of people with these disorders receive no care at all.