South African Psychiatry - November 2018

REPORT
MINISTERS GATHER TO ADDRESS
MENTAL HEALTH
AT THE GLOBAL
MINISTERIAL MENTAL
HEALTH SUMMIT IN LONDON
Chantelle Booysen
In the wake of being woke to the wellness ‘trend’,
there has been much needed focus on mental
wellness and mental health, specifically, and its
impact in relation to physical health. A focus that
is long overdue, and certainly welcomed, as age old
efforts of the medical fraternities, academics, nonprofit
organisations and civil society seems to be
gathering traction on this issue, on a global scale.
AS MENTAL HEALTH BECOMES THE FASTEST
GROWING GLOBAL HEALTH CHALLENGE
OF OUR TIME, IT FORMED THE BASIS OF
THE FIRST GLOBAL MINISTERIAL MENTAL
HEALTH SUMMIT HELD IN LONDON ON
THE 9 TH AND 10 TH OCTOBER 2018.
The theme of this summit focused on the Equality
for Mental Health in the 21st Century, endorsed and
promoted by the UK Government in partnership
with the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation
and Development (OECD) and the World Health
Organisation (WHO).
The summit organisers reported the attendance of
586 delegates from 61 countries with 47 countries
sending 106 official delegates. 15 of these national
delegations were led by respective country Ministers,
engaging in the discussions and declarations for
achieving equality for mental health.
The summit highlighted the inclusion of the Lived
Experience voice in addressing legislation, services
and approaches to mental health care. There is also
a big drive to involve young people
in these global discussions and
implementations as a key element
to address adolescent mental
health issues.
As part of Youth Leaders for The
Lancet Commission for Global
Mental Health, this summit was
particularly important as it created Chantelle Booysen
a platform for the launch of this fresh
approach to the prioritisation of mental health care.
The Commission creates a guideline to a global
approach in addressing mental health approaches
and assesses the global mental health agenda
in the context of the Sustainable Development
Guidelines as set out by the United Nations General
Assembly.
THE YOUTH CAMPAIGN FOR THE LANCET
COMMISSION FOR GLOBAL MENTAL
HEALTH WAS SPECIFICALLY CREATED
TO DISSEMINATE AND TRANSLATE THE
KEY MESSAGES OF THE COMMISSION
IN ORDER TO CREATE EFFECTIVE
PLATFORMS FOR COMMUNICATING
THESE MESSAGES IN A WAY THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE CAN GRASP AND ASSOCIATE
WITH. A BIG PART OF THIS YOUTH
CAMPAIGN IS FOCUSED ON CREATING
CONVERSATION THROUGH ADVOCACY
EFFORTS ON A MULTI-TIERED APPROACH.
SOUTH AFRICAN PSYCHIATRY ISSUE 17 2018 * 35