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 Only 7% of the 134 countries responding to the WHO's survey
reported that all mental health services were fully open, with 93%
reporting curtailed services for various disorders, it said.
"We think that this is a forgotten aspect of COVID-19, in a sense
part of the challenges that we face is that this is an under-funded
area historically," Dévora Kestel, director of WHO's Department of
Mental Health and Substance Use, told a news briefing.
Only 17% of countries have ensured additional funding to implement
activities supporting growing mental health needs during the
pandemic, she said.
"We estimate, and preliminary information is telling us, that there
may be an increase in people with mental, neurological and substance
abuse related conditions that will need attention," Kestel said.
But WHO had no data on life-threatening consequences including any
higher suicide rates, epileptic seizures or unmanaged opioid
dependence that could lead to overdose, she said.
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Many countries, especially low-income ones, maintained mental health services
offered in general hospitals which remained opened, but many patients faced
other challenges, the WHO said its first assessment.
"Travel restrictions were reported as the most common cause of disruption for 73
percent of low-income countries," Kestel said.
Outpatient and community-based services, often in middle and high-income
countries, were more affected, the WHO said.
But many wealthier countries made use of telemedicine and technologies to follow
up on mental patients, it said.
"We see better coverage of alternative services in high-income countries and we
need to make sure everybody has access to some kind of alternative," Kestel
said.
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay, Editing by William Maclean)
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