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Psychiatrists launch global mental healthcare campaign

The World Psychiatric Association has launched a global campaign on ensuring equal access to mental healthcare

The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) is promoting eight priorities to improve fairness in global mental healthcare as part of a global campaign launched today.

As part of its campaign called World Mind Matters Day, the association will be working with psychiatrists, doctors, patients, carers and policymakers around the world to raise awareness of its ‘fair deal’ priorities. 

They include calling for fairness and equity in funding, resources, outcomes and research to ensure equal access for all patients to effective services, integrated physical and mental health and an eradication of discrimination and stigma. 

The WPA also wants to see dignity and equality for all, education of the public and stakeholders, alliances and advocacy with patients and carers and links with organisations and across specialities. 

The association has launched two position papers as part of its campaign. 

One examines how national and international organisations and mental healthcare providers can recognise discrimination and social exclusion faced by people with mental illnesses. 

The second provides guidance on ensuring cultural psychiatry and psychotherapy are included as part of the curricula at undergraduate level. 

WPA president Dinesh Bhugra said: ‘We hope to increase the knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively in the field of mental health and improve access to and the quality of mental health care across the world.’

For more information about the campaign and to read the position papers, click here