WHO with Ministry of Health, Maharashtra, organises panel discussion on World Health Day

Discussions were held on hwo to create awareness on mental health issues

A regional consultation, organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Office for India, in collaboration with the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Maharashtra made a call for increasing awareness and greater attention to mental health issues, especially depression.

Dignitaries who graced the consultation on World Health Day included, Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, Maharashtra, Dr Deepak Sawant, Health Minister of Maharashtra, Raj Purohit, Member of Legislative Council, Rahul Narvekar, Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Dr Vijay Satbir Singh, Commissioner Health and MD, National Health Mission, Ramesh Devkar, Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration and Food Safety Commissioner, Maharashtra and Dr Harshadeep Kamble, Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration, Maharashtra.

The theme for this year’s World Health Day is Depression: Let’s talk. The overall goal of the campaign is that more people with depression, everywhere in the world, both seek and get help.

Speaking about the World Health Day, Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to India said, “Being the single largest cause of morbidity globally, depression is a public health priority that concerns each one of us. All of us are stakeholders. The first step towards treatment and recovery is often talking to a person they trust.”

In this context, Dr Bekedam highlighted three recent developments that bode well for India in the area of mental health: The National Health Policy 2017 prioritises mental health services as a component of addressing non-communicable diseases, PM Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address spoke at length on how to prevent and manage depression, and the path-breaking Mental Health Care Bill 2017, which decriminalises attempt to suicide.

Representatives from Department of Health & Family Welfare, development agencies; mental health professionals from the central and state government; academicians and, researchers; NGOs and civil society organisations attended the event.