The World Health Organization warned Thursday during a meeting in Athens of ministers and health officials that the coronavirus pandemic will have a “long-term” impact on the mental health of the population.
“From the anxiety associated with transmission of the virus, to the psychological impact of confinement and self-isolation, to the consequences associated with unemployment, financial hardship and social exclusion, (…), everything is affecting the world in one way or another,” the World Health Organization said in a statement.
The organization warns that the epidemic will have “a far-reaching and far-reaching impact”.
“We are talking about a major component of our health. Opening a two-day forum of ministers for the WHO’s Europe region, which includes 53 countries, in Athens, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged action now” from governments.
“We must speak frankly about the stigma that accompanies mental health,” he added, in the presence of dozens of ministers, followed by the meeting via video link.
For Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission, “there is no excuse for being left behind”.
The World Health Organization believes that “it is not pollution or fear of contamination that has affected the mental health of the population”.
But “the stress caused by social and economic inequalities and the effects of quarantine, confinement and school and workplace closures has had dire consequences,” asserts the World Health Organization.
“The pandemic has shaken the world. More than four million people have been lost in the world, incomes have been destroyed, families and communities are scattered, companies have been declared bankrupt … ”, recalls WHO Director of Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge.
“Mental health and well-being must be viewed as a fundamental human right,” he continues, calling on states to rethink access to care.
Among the WHO’s recommendations are strengthening mental health services in general, improving access to care through digital technology, and increasing psychological support services in schools and universities, on-site work and for workers on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19.
