World health day

07 April

World Health Day, celebrated every year on 7 April, the founding day of WHO, is a unique opportunity to mobilize action on a health topic that concerns people around the world.

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Depression affects people of all ages, all categories of the population and in all countries. Depression causes mental suffering, negatively affects a person's ability to perform even the simplest daily tasks, and can sometimes have disastrous consequences on a person's relationships with family and friends, as well as a person's ability to earn a living. In extreme cases, depression can lead to suicide - currently the second leading cause of death among people aged 15-29.

However, depression is preventable and treatable. A better understanding of what depression is and how it can be prevented or treated will help dispel the negative stereotypes associated with the condition and encourage more people to seek help.

Depression is a common mental disorder characterized by sadness, loss of interests or desires, guilt or low self-esteem, sleep or appetite problems, feeling tired and poor concentration. Sometimes people with depression also have subtle physical symptoms. These problems can be long-term or recurring, having a significant impact on a person's ability to function at work or school and their ability to cope with their daily responsibilities. If it is mild, depression can be treated without medication, but if it is moderate or severe, people may need medication and talk therapy with more trained professionals.

Depression is a disorder that can be confidently diagnosed and treated by primary care providers who are not mental health specialists.

On March 30, 2017, at a WHO meeting in Geneva, it was stated that depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. According to the latest estimates from the World Health Organization, more than 300 million people worldwide are living with depression today, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. Due to a lack of support and fears of stigma, many people with mental disorders do not seek the treatment they need to live healthy and productive lives.

The new estimates come ahead of World Health Day on 7 April, the culmination of WHO's year-long Depression: Let's Talk campaign. This campaign aims to encourage more people with depression around the world to seek and receive treatment.

As the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan, said, “These new data serve as a signal to all countries to rethink how they approach mental health and address the problem with the urgency it deserves.”

One of the first steps is to take action against prejudice and discrimination. “The ongoing stigma associated with mental illness is why we decided to name our campaign Depression: Let's Talk,” said Dr Shekhar Saxena, Director of WHO's Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. “For a person living with depression, talking to someone they trust can often be the first step toward treatment and recovery.”

It is also necessary to expand investment. In many countries, people with mental health problems receive little if any support. Even in high-income countries, about 50% of people with depression do not receive treatment. On average, only 3% of government health budgets are invested in mental health, ranging from less than 1% in low-income countries to 5% in high-income countries.

Inaction is costly. A WHO study measuring treatment costs and health outcomes in 36 low-, middle- and high-income countries over 15 years from 2016 to 2030 found low levels of recognition and access to care for depression and other a common mental disorder such as anxiety disorder results in global economic losses estimated at one trillion US dollars per year. These losses are borne by families, employers and governments. Families suffer financial losses when people are unable to work. Employers suffer as their employees become less productive and unable to work. Governments are being forced to increase spending on health and social security.

WHO has identified strong links between depression and other non-communicable disorders and diseases. Depression increases the risk of developing substance use disorders and diseases such as diabetes and heart disease; conversely, people with these health conditions are at increased risk of developing depression.

In addition, depression is an important risk factor for suicide - for this reason, hundreds of thousands of lives are cut short every year.

According to Dr. Saxena, “Better understanding of depression and how it can be treated is important, but it is just the beginning. This must be followed by a sustained expansion of mental health services accessible to all people, even from the most remote areas in the world.”

Depression is a common mental illness characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest in activities that people normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities for 14 days or more.

In addition, people with depression typically have some of the following symptoms: low energy, changes in appetite, sleeping more or less, anxiety, decreased concentration, indecisiveness, restlessness, feelings of worthlessness, guilt or hopelessness, and thoughts of harming oneself. harm or suicide.