PREECEVILLE - The community of Preeceville is gearing up to acknowledge and raise funds in recognition of Mental Health. The town will be hosting a run/walk on October 3, starting at Annie Laurie Lake, on the north side town.
In recent years, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals, as illustrated by the inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Goals, stated the World Health Organization (WHO) website.
Depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15 to 29-year-olds. People with severe mental health conditions die prematurely – as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions.
Despite progress in some countries, people with mental health conditions often experience severe human rights violations, discrimination, and stigma, continued the website information.
Many mental health conditions can be effectively treated at relatively low cost, yet the gap between people needing care and those with access to care remains substantial. Effective treatment coverage remains extremely low.
Increased investment is required on all fronts: for mental health awareness to increase understanding and reduce stigma; for efforts to increase access to quality mental health care and effective treatments; and for research to identify new treatments and improve existing treatments for all mental disorders.
In 2019, WHO launched the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health (2019-2023): Universal Health Coverage for Mental Health to ensure access to quality and affordable care for mental health conditions in 12 priority countries to 100 million more people.
