Did you know that almost 10 percent of the world's population is affected by mental health issues? According to a recent study, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety is costing the global economy almost $1 trillion (£651 billion) in lost productivity yearly.
The total cost is reportedly equivalent to 12 billion working days or 50 million years. The study was conducted by the World Health Organization and was published in Lancet Psychiatry.
"Despite hundreds of millions of people around the world living with mental disorders, mental health has remained in the shadows," World Bank Group president Jim Yong Kim said. "This is not just a public health issue - it's a development issue. We need to act now because the lost productivity is something the global economy simply cannot afford."
The research also underscored the economic importance and health benefits if nations around the world will invest to a better health treatment, Daily Mail notes. Improved mental health could reportedly add an estimated $310 billion (£217 billion) in returns.
Unfortunately, study authors emphasized that the current investment in mental health services is far lower than what the world needs. According to WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan, the governments should boost its efforts to ensure that access to mental health services becomes a reality.
"We know that treatment of depression and anxiety makes good sense for health and wellbeing; this new study confirms that it makes sound economic sense too," Chan stated, as per Fox News. "We must now find ways to make sure that access to mental health services becomes a reality for all men, women and children, wherever they live."
Meanwhile, mental health issues, as well as the costs and treatment benefits, were among the topics discussed at a meeting in Washington, D.C. that started Wednesday, Apr. 13. It was hosted by the World Bank and WHO, VOA News reports.
The said meeting, which aimed to encourage governments to provide better mental health treatment, was reportedly attended by development agencies, academic experts and ministers of finance. Nations that have improved mental health care including South Africa, Brazil and Ethiopia also presented their stories.
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