The World Health Organisation has issued an emergency declaration on global mental health, calling the current crisis a "parallel pandemic" that has been overshadowed by physical health emergencies but represents an equal or greater burden on human welfare and economic productivity.
The organisation's 2024 World Mental Health Report reveals that 1.3 billion people worldwide are currently experiencing a diagnosable mental health condition — one in four adults — yet fewer than 25% receive any form of treatment. In low-income countries, the treatment gap exceeds 90%.
The Economic Case
Beyond the immeasurable human cost, the economic argument for urgent investment is overwhelming. Mental health conditions account for 4.4% of global disability-adjusted life years, with depression and anxiety costing the global economy an estimated $1 trillion in lost productivity annually — a figure projected to reach $6 trillion by 2030 without intervention.