#2: Over the past decades we have lived through Global economic crisis and the COVID pandemic, The countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) have experienced protracted wars, civil strife and Unrest( From Afghanistan to Somalia and current upsurge in violence in Sudan and Palestine) , increasing number of natural disasters (Floods in Pakistan and Libya, earthquakes in Syria and Morocco) , and economic turmoil. All of which adversely impact health and well being of individuals and communities
#3: Exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs), the disruption of protective community networks, side by side with degradation of health and social care systems tend to increase the population vulnerability to mental health and substance use conditions.
According to revised WHO estimates more than I in 5 persons exposed to adversity will go on to have Mental health conditions and about 1 in 11of those affected experience a mental disorder of such severity that it can impair their ability to function and survive in the emergency environment.
#4: Based on data from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) The Region has a high age-standardized prevalence rate of mental disorders (16.24%) (Global Burden of Disease (GBD) estimates (2021)
EMR has a high prevalence of depressive disorders , anxiety disorders , bipolar disorder and idiopathic development intellectual disability which all exceed the corresponding global prevalence.
Closer examination suggests that for depressive disorders, there is a higher rate of depression in countries with humanitarian emergencies in men aged 25-74 years, while in women the higher prevalence is seen in a younger age range from 10-49 years . For anxiety disorders, the higher rate in men is focused on a younger age range of 10-24 years, while a consistently larger increase is evident across the lifespan of women. The high prevalence of idiopathic developmental intellectual disability in countries with humanitarian emergencies is also observed in all age bands.
#5: While the needs for MHPSS are increasing the capacity of the health and social care systems for maintaining and providing a satisfactory level of care is compromised as can be seen from the fact that there are only about 1.3 mental health workers per 100 000 population in FCN countries compared to over 22 workers/100,000 in countries without emergencies .
#6: Fewer countries with emergencies have achieved functional integration of mental health in primary health care . This is accounted for by a lower percentage of emergency countries having achieved more than 75% coverage for pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for mental health conditions in primary care, However Emergencies have provided opportunities which have been capiltalized on by countries of the region---- Almost most countries have implemented extensive training/supervision on mental health for primary care workers, and functional MHPSS TWGS
in response to emergencies,.
#7: It is against this backdrop that the Regional Action Plan has been developed in consultation with member states and partners The regional action plan aligns with international conventions and agreements, such as the: United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework 2015-2030, Sphere standards and the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings; and WHO’s Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030, and Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly, resolution on Strengthening mental health and psychosocial support before, during and after armed conflicts, natural and human-caused disasters and health and other emergencies which calls on member states to include MHPSS as an integral component of preparedness, response and recovery activities in all emergencies and across sectors, including health, protection, education, shelter, food, water, sanitation, hygiene and livelihoods
#8: MHPSS regional action plan envisions a multilayered and multisectoral approach to address MHPSS needs of the populations across the emergency cycle was guided by the principles of:
Do no harm;
Building on and strengthening locally available resources and capacities;
Partnerships and inclusive participation;
Evidence-informed;
#9: the paper shared with you provides a detailed framework of strategic interventions which have been identified based on the experience and best practices gleaned over the last 03 decades and grouped under the five domains supported by a monitoring framework with clearly defined indicators and targets derived from the global monitoring framework developed by the IASC on MHPSS to help countries prepare for and respond more effectively and “building back better” resilient communities and health and social care systems for the mental health and psychosocial support needs of the populations.;