Seminar to focus on mental health

More than 27 per cent of adult Europeans experience at least one form of mental ill health during any one year.

This challenge facing the EU has been highlighted in a Green Paper issued by the European Commission and will be the topic of a seminar by the Richmond Foundation to be held on Friday.

In the EU, some 58,000 citizens commit suicide every year - more than the annual number of deaths from road traffic accidents, homicide or HIV/AIDS. Fortunately, Malta has the fifth lowest suicide rate among the 25 members states.

The most common forms of mental ill health are anxiety disorders and depression.

By 2020, depression is expected to be the top cause of disease in the developed world.

In an attempt to tackle these concerns, the Commission has issued the Green Paper with the intention of drawing up a strategy to improve the mental health of the EU's population.

Richmond Foundation chief executive Doris Gauci welcomed the Green Paper as a step in the right direction that was long overdue.

"The sooner we realise there's no health without mental health, the better," she said when contacted.

The aim of the Green Paper is to launch a debate with European institutions, governments and stakeholders, among others, about the relevance of mental health and the need for a strategy that would constitute a framework for exchange and cooperation between member states.

It looks at the situation and implication of mental ill health, which costs the EU an estimated three to four per cent of the gross domestic product, mainly through lost productivity.

The growing perception of mental health as a problem has triggered policy makers, health professionals and other stakeholders to look for solutions.

It highlights the fact that a comprehensive strategy on mental health, which would link all of the initiatives, does not yet exist at a Community level.

It admits that given the diversity between member states, it was not possible to draw simple conclusions to propose uniform solutions.

However, establishing a strategy on mental health at an EU level would add value by:

¤ Creating a framework for exchange and cooperation between member states;

¤ Helping to increase the coherence of actions in different policy sectors;

¤ Opening up a platform for involving stakeholders including patient and civil society organisations into building solutions.

As a next step, the Commission is inviting all interested citizens, parties, organisations and EU institutions to contribute to the preparation of a possible EU strategy and an action plan on mental health by commenting on the Green Paper by May 31 (via e-mail: mental-health@cec.eu.int).

Friday's half-day consultative seminar will tackle the situation from a local angle. Ms Gauci said the plan was to submit the proposals that emerge from this seminar to the Commission.

She believes that while the Green Paper highlights the possibility of "proposing uniform solutions", it still tries to propose a homogeneous stand.

"It also assumes that all governments recognise the importance of mental health, which isn't the case," she pointed out.

Delving into the local situation, she said mental health was gaining acknowledgement, but there was still a lot that had to be done, especially with regards to research.

"We have hardly any figures at a national level; we just have estimates. It has already been documented that islands have a particular pathology." There was also a need for community mental health services such as day and health centres. A pilot project was set up in Qormi 10 years ago providing these services, but it was high time that this project was analysed and replicated throughout the island.

Ms Gauci feels that the Green Paper did not sufficiently address the role of NGOs and this would be one of the proposals submitted to the Commission.

Later this year, the Commission intends to present its analysis of the responses received together with its proposal and/or initiatives for a strategy on mental health for the EU.

Those interested in attending Friday's seminar, which is being held at St James Cavalier, Valletta between 8.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. can call on 2148 2336 or send an e-mail to: dorothy@richmond.org.mt.