The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, says the mental health of millions of children worldwide has been put at risk, with at least one in seven forced to remain at home under nationwide public health orders – or recommendations – during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts across the globe are advocating for increased investment in services at a time when many lives have been upended.
The increase in people in need of mental health or psychosocial support has been compounded by the interruption to physical and mental health services in many countries.
Since January when the World Health Organization (WHO) determined the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, to be a “public health emergency of international concern”, stress levels everywhere have continued to mount.
Worldwide, 800,000 people die by suicide each year – one every 40 seconds – making it the second leading cause of death among young people (aged 15 to 29), the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday, spotlighting suicide prevention as the theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day.
Key lifestyle choices such as getting regular exercise, not smoking or drinking too much, can reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, the UN health agency said on Tuesday.
Photo: World Bank/ Miso Lisanin