- Lady Roslyn Morauta, Chair, Board of the Global Fund,
- Dr Magda Robalo, Co-Chair of the UHC2030 Steering Committee,
- Mr Joseph Simmonds-Issler, Chief of Staff and Executive Lead of Governance, Strategy and Portfolio Division, CEPI
- Dr Mika Salminen, Director General, Institute of Health and Welfare, Finland
Dignitaries, Partners, Colleagues and Friends
A very good morning to you all.
Thank you for inviting me to address you here today at this Global Health Security Conference.
Before I speak to you today about Leadership on Mental Health in Emergencies, I’d like to tell you a bit about myself.
I am from Bangladesh, a country which - as you may know - is very prone to extreme weather and climate events.
Over the past 22 years, I have worked on issues of mental health, neurodevelopmental disorders, and disability.
My career started as a licensed School Psychologist, when I worked in underprivileged communities in the USA. From there, I moved into public policy and worked as an advocate and a technical expert for public policy.
We all know that mental health issues are stigmatized in many societies. As an advocate, I worked to mainstream these matters - to break down taboos, and to start the necessary journey towards normalization. As a technical expert, I formulated public policy and advised national governments on developing legislative & technical frameworks. In my current role as WHO’s Regional Director for South-East Asia, I work on the public health policy for 11 countries and 2 billion people.
Therefore, I speak here today from a convergence of three distinct perspectives. First, as someone whose country knows all too well climate and weather emergencies. Second, as a mental health practitioner, and finally as a public policy specialist.
Emergencies create a wide range of problems experienced at the individual, family, community, and societal levels. They erode normally protective support, increase the risks of diverse problems, and tend to amplify pre-existing problems of social injustice and inequality. For example, natural disasters typically have a disproportionate impact on the poor, who may be living in relatively dangerous places.
Emergencies cause significant psychological and social suffering to the affected populations. These impacts may be acute in the short term, but they can also undermine long-term mental health and psychosocial well-being of the affected. This carries implications for peace, human rights and development.
After emergencies, people are more likely to suffer from a range of mental health problems. A minority may develop new and debilitating mental disorders, while many others may be in psychological distress. And those with pre-existing mental disorders often need even more help than before.
In the aftermath of the tragedy of an emergency situation, when we intervene to alleviate the human suffering created, we also have an opportunity to build better mental health care. The surge of aid, combined with sudden, focused attention on the mental health of the population, creates unparalleled opportunities to transform mental health care for the long term.
Our WHO South-East Asia Region represents some important case studies on this “Building Back Better” approach. It goes without saying that this approach requires leadership and guidance, to coordinate mental health and psychosocial support.
In Indonesia, in the Aceh province, there used to be a solitary mental health hospital. Yet, following the tsunami of 2004, the mental health services in were transformed in a matter of years. Aceh ‘built back better,’ and implemented a basic system of mental health care, grounded by primary health services, and supported by secondary care through district general hospitals.
In the aftermath of the very same 2004 tsunami, Sri Lanka made rapid progress in the development of basic mental health services. They extended these services beyond tsunami-affected zones, to most parts of the country. A national mental health policy has been guiding the development of decentralized and community-based care.
Building from a complete absence of mental health services in 1999, Timor-Leste now has a comprehensive community-based mental health system. They developed a National Mental Health Strategy and trained general nurses on mental health in approximately one quarter of the country’s community health centers.
As you may know, in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, there is an ongoing protracted emergency situation. A lot of special efforts and measures are being taken by the government and non-government entities to provide mental health and psychosocial support to the affected Rohingya populations in the camps.
In times of crisis, it is easy to overlook mental health concerns in favor of immediate physical needs. However, true leadership in mental health recognizes the interconnectedness of mental and physical well-being. By addressing mental health needs proactively, leaders can build stronger, more resilient communities that can withstand and recover from emergencies.
When emergencies do occur, strong and compassionate leadership is essential to guide individuals and communities towards recovery. This leadership requires empathy, understanding, and action. It involves fostering a culture of support, inclusivity, and empowerment. These leaders must communicate effectively, provide accurate information, and offer support to those in need. They should lead by example, showing vulnerability, openness, and a willingness to prioritize mental health as a priority.
The path is clear. We need to lead with compassion and empathy, and to create a culture of support and understanding. We need to prioritize mental health in emergencies. It is up to us to turn crises and emergencies, into a path for a better tomorrow.
I ask you all to join me in making that a reality. Thank you.