Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030: We must rise to the challenge

Abstract

In May 2013, WHO's Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020 was adopted at the 66th World Health Assembly which was extended until 2030 by the 72nd World Health Assembly in May 2019 with modifications of some of the objectives and goal targets to ensure its alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Further, in September 2021, the 74th World Health Assembly accepted the updates to the action plan, including updates to the target options for indicators and implementation. This is an opportunity for the psychiatric community to rise to the challenge and work towards the realization of these objectives and in turn to integrate psychiatry with the mainstream of medicine. The change in objectives and targets is summarized in Table 1.Table 1: Comparison between Mental Health Action Plans 2013-20 and 2013-30As it is obvious that there is an enormous opportunity for the psychiatric community to implement things that we always have been talking about like: Global target 2.2 – Target's doubling of community-based mental health facilities by 2030 in 80% of countries. It would be a substantial achievement for the psychiatric community for its implementation will lead to significant service to psychiatric patients Global target 2.3 – Integration of mental health care into primary healthcare Global target 3.2 – Reduction in suicide rate by one-third by 2030 Global target 3.3 – Psychological care for disaster Global target 4.2 – Mental health research to be doubled by 2030. What has brought about profound change is target 3.4 of Sustainable Development Goal, which is to reduce premature death by NCD by one-third by promoting mental health and wellbeing. It is an opportunity for us to expand psychiatry by being involved in general medical care and reduce stigma. We must also utilize this opportunity to press for the greater representation of psychiatry in MBBS curriculum throughout the country and stop not till it gets a separate subject status in undergraduate medical studies. Now is the time for us to strive to achieve all the objectives which provide an opportunity to expand mental health care, reduce stigma, and translate all the talk of furthering the growth of mental health into action.[2]