There are numerous diseases that cause many
people around world to suffer. The ones that cause the most pain and disability
are mental health disorders and diseases. “Nearly 450 million people have
mental health disorders and more than three-quarters live in developing
countries.” Unfortunately, most of the people who suffer
from them are unable to receive counseling or treatment. In addition to not
being able to afford the treatment, in most low income countries, treatment is
not even available. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in low
income and developing nations there is more than one million people per mental
health specialist and most of them get no care at all. Most of those suffering
from mental health disorders are the victims and survivors of natural disasters,
war, domestic violence and infectious diseases. For example, those in Afghanistan have been
subjected to the horrors war for over thirty years and a disastrous earthquake
followed by a cholera outbreak left many suffering in Haiti. The causes and
rates of mental illnesses vary from nation to nation around the world, and each
has a unique challenge ahead in dealing with this issue. This past spring the
World Health Assembly took up this cause and agreed to help improve standards
and promote awareness of mental health disorders around the world, which has led
to an action plan that is currently being drawn up. Mental health disorders
have plagued humans for a very long time. Unfortunately, they tend to be
overlooked or not given substantial acknowledgment. Hopefully with increased
awareness and the creation of an action plan, those that have suffered from
mental illnesses will receive some treatment and eventually relief.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19883226
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