1. mhGAP Newsletter
Mental Health Gap Action Programme
January 2011 ENGLISH
IN THIS ISSUE
WHO simplifies the treatment of
mental and neurological disorders
» page 1
The Intervention Guide will help scale-
up care for mental, neurological and
substance use disorders » page 2
Partners commit to mhGAP at the
WHO simplifies treatment of Forum meeting » page 3
mental and neurological disorders Worldwide praise for the Intervention
Guide » page 4
WHO estimates that:
On 7 October 2010, WHO » More than 150 million people worldwide
launched the mhGAP Intervention suffer from depression.
Guide to help identify and » Some 125 million people are affected by
alcohol-use disorders.
manage a number of priority
» More than 40 million people suffer from epi-
mental health conditions lepsy and 24 million from Alzheimer’s disease.
» Mental, neurological, and substance use
disorders account for 14 % of the global UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
In 2008, WHO developed the mental health
Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) calling for an burden of disease worldwide.
In his address on the World
urgent scaling up of services for mental, neuro-
logical, and substance use disorders, especially Since its launch in 2008, the mhGAP Programme Mental Health Day 2010, the UN
in the developing world. The Programme has gathered momentum and support. WHO Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon,
focuses on the gap between what is needed to has launched numerous initiatives worldwide to described mhGAP as “the global
treat priority mental health disorders and what close the gap and integrate mental health care response to the high demand for
is actually available worldwide. The statistics on into local community services. Future issues
these (mental) health services”.
mental health underline the challenges and the will highlight some of these success stories in
He urged countries to “embrace
scale of the burden. countries such as Ethiopia, Jordan and Nigeria.
and fulfill the objectives of this
programme”. He underlined,
“We must break down the barri-
ers that continue to exclude
those with mental or psychologi-
cal disabilities. There is no place
in our world for discrimination
against those with mental illness.
There can be no health without
mental health”.
www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/en/ 1

2. mhGAP Newsletter
Mental Health Gap Action Programme
The Intervention Guide will help scale-up care for
mental, neurological and substance use disorders
The mhGAP Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) Guide emphasizes the importance of psycho-
is a simple tool to help detect, diagnose social interventions in managing these Dr Shekhar Saxena, Director of
and manage the most common mental, conditions. It also provides advice on medi- the Department of Mental Health
neurological, and substance use disorders cines, when to use them or not, and covers and Substance Abuse at WHO
and is aimed at helping a range of people interventions in a basic approach with easy
explained how the mhGAP Inter-
from doctors and nurses to assistants in any to follow flowcharts.
vention Guide will help different
resource settings.
More than 150 experts, international orga- countries by leading to “nurses in
The mhGAP-IG includes evidence-based nizations and associations contributed to Ethiopia recognizing people suf-
recommendations to manage priority this 100 page clinical guide, which provides fering with depression in their day
conditions including depression, epilepsy, practical advice. In collaboration with its to day work … similarly doctors
psychosis, bipolar disorders, developmental partners, WHO will provide technical
in Jordan and medical assistants
and behavioural disorders in children and support to countries to implement the
in Nigeria will be able to treat
adolescents, dementia, alcohol use disor- guidelines and has already initiated the
ders, drug use disorders and self-harm/ Programme for scaling-up care in several children with epilepsy”.
suicide and other significant emotional or countries. The Guide is being translated into
medically unexplained complaints. The all WHO official and many other languages.
» Download the mhGAP
Intervention Guide
mhGAP Intervention Guide Master Chart Sample flowcharts of the new mhGAP Intervention Guide
www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/en/ 2

3. mhGAP Newsletter
Mental Health Gap Action Programme
“There is a need to get more
financial resources ... the need
to educate the populace ...
to ensure the availability of
effective treatment ... the
challenge of adequate mental
health training ...”
One of the biggest challenges in the near
future will be to find the resources for
implementation and research capacity
building. Italian ambassador, H.E. Ms Laura
Partners commit to mhGAP Mirachian, stated that
“mental health deserves more
at the Forum meeting attention and more financial
resources than the 1% of the
7 October 2010 “Ethiopia will be integrating budget received so far”.
The second meeting of the mhGap Forum
was held at WHO Headquarters in Geneva
mental health care in a A number of other important factors in
and attended by 22 Member States, 11 number of pilot districts in assuring the Programme’s ongoing success
ambassadors, WHO Collaborating Centres the coming years. If success- were highlighted at the Forum such as the
and other international organizations. participation of patients and their families,
It provided an opportunity for WHO and ful, the Programme will be the NGO’s strong engagement and develop-
its partners to celebrate the mhGAP Inter- scaled-up to cover a maximum ing a training programme. The Forum
vention Guide’s launch and give strategic recommended:
guidance to the WHO on raising the priority
area of the country”
given to mental health. » The need for countries to develop
said the Ethiopian Chargé d’affaires a.i., policies involving relevant government
The participants applauded the mhGAP Mr M. Petros Tetemke. departments as well as civil society.
Programme for its guidance, emphasis on » Providing mental health care in the
human rights and efforts to scale-up services. In her address, the Nigerian Chargé context of health system strengthening
d’affaires, Mrs Cecilia O Yahaya, underlined with a focus on primary health care.
The Forum participants emphasized the a number of pressing needs:
need to expand the Programme. » Mobilizing resources for technical support.
www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/en/ 3

4. mhGAP Newsletter
Mental Health Gap Action Programme
Worldwide praise for the Intervention Guide
The Intervention Guide’s launch generated The Intervention Guide was acclaimed as a The Brazilian ambassador, H.E. Mrs Maria
positive interest and praise from interna- significant breakthrough for the field of men- Nazareth Farani Azevêdo, described the
tional journals, newspapers and many others. tal health. It was widely praised as a practical, guide as
The Economist welcomed the arrival of the evidence-based and affordable guide.
Guide in a world where
“an important tool to im-
“The WHO mhGAP Interven- prove links between com-
“more than three-quarters of tion Guide will open door munities and the health
people with brain disorders the door to more opportuni- system by facilitating a
in the developing world are ties for the management of preliminary diagnosis ...”
not being treated”. disorders that contribute to
An editorial in the world’s leading general suffering among individuals Allen Foster, President CBM, an organiza-
tion helping people with disabilities obtain
medical journal, The Lancet, commended and their families worldwide”
WHO’s care and services described the Guide as
said Thomas Insel, Director, National Institute
“renewed attention to of Mental Health, USA. “an excellent, practical man-
mental health”. ual for non-specialist health
K. Sujatha Rao, Secretary, Health & Family
Welfare, Government of India, applauded providers ... at the primary
The Lancet editorial acknowledged the
importance of such a Guide
the development of the Intervention Guide and secondary levels of
by WHO and said
health care, in government
“in view of the scarcity of “the Guide will help us as well as non-government
psychiatrists in poor countries“ extend care to all persons led systems”.
and underlined its inclusion of psychosocial with mental illness ... in the
therapy as first-line treatment. country”.
Visit: www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/en/
Email: mhgap-info@who.int
Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (MSD)
World Health Organization
© World Health Organization 2011 4