Harvard Global Mental Health Coalition

Despite the continued development of effective interventions against numerous major mental health disorders and the extreme stigma and social marginalization these patients face, mental health remains often forgotten on the global health agenda. In the worst of situations, asylums serve as cells where patients are chained to beds. Resources are absent while miles away pharmacies and providers have effective interventions. In recognition of these challenges, a coalition of groups--including six Harvard student groups (Partners In Health Engage, Harvard Student Mental Health Liaisons, Students for Global Health at Harvard Medical School, the Harvard Global Health & AIDS Coalition, the Global Health Forum & the Forum for International Development), a national global health advocacy organization, and several leading researchers--are coming together to build an advocacy campaign to help bridge the resource gap.

This group's work is informed by mental health experts involved in transnational work, including psychiatrists Vikram Patel, Anne Becker and Bepi Raviola. These experts remind us that while on average over half of patients with other non-communicable diseases globally receive treatment for their condition, this figure is just one-quarter for individuals with mental disorders in advanced economies and only one in ten within developing countries. A conservative estimate of the global economic impact from this neglect of mental health exceeds $800 billion, a figure which does not begin to capture the horrors and pain of families choosing to chain family members to beds in the absence of cheap and effective medicines.

The state of global mental health is extremely urgent; however, recent developments have provided hope that its condition can and will improve. This spring, the World Bank partnered with the World Health Organization at the "Out of the Shadows" conference to recognize mental health as a global development priority. In doing so, the WB and WHO took a historic step in terms of awareness of mental health issues. Now, advocates must call for concrete action while continuing to increase awareness, pushing leaders to serve their most vulnerable citizens through increased emphasis on and funding for mental health initiatives and care.

Our efforts echo calls from activists across the world and seek to increase awareness of issues surrounding global mental health; advocate for increased funds for, greater access to, and better quality of mental health care; and decrease stigma surrounding mental illness. We hope that you will join us!