World Mental Health Day 2020: Malta launches campaign – “Move for mental health: let’s invest!”

According to population-based studies across Europe, it is estimated that close to 120 000 people in Malta are living with a mental disorder. On 10 October each year, World Mental Health Day serves to encourage more public action around the world towards better mental health. This year, the Office of the Commissioner for Mental Health in Malta marked World Mental Health Day by launching a campaign entitled “Move for mental health: let’s invest”.

A public health priority

Mental health and well-being represent a public health priority in Malta, a member of the WHO Small Countries Initiative (SCI). Investment in improving this area contributes to substantial improvement in the overall outcomes of the health system. It also provides direct benefits to a quarter of the population, as well as indirect benefits to families, workplaces and social security. Other health gains include a decrease in complications from chronic diseases and an improvement in mortality rates. Local data show that around 150 deaths per year are attributable to mental and behavioural disorders, which include 2–3 suicides per month. The current pandemic has added an additional challenge to mental health and well-being by causing anxiety, stress, depression and isolation.

Much has been achieved in recent years

Malta’s regular reviews of the local mental-health landscape have identified numerous examples of good practice in the services dealing with mental-health and well-being. The mental-health landscape in Malta has indeed changed since the National Office for the Promotion of Rights of Persons with Mental Disorders came into function in 2011: there is more awareness of the impact of mental-health difficulties on individual health and well-being, families, workplaces and society as a whole; there has been a shift to personalized care; more patients have been moved from hospital to community hostels and independent living arrangements; employee support programmes have been established; there is a focus on the mental health of migrants, the support of victims of domestic violence, the concept of mental-health first aid, and support for schoolchildren and early school-leavers/drop-outs; and there is a plethora of training initiatives for doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other professional support staff.

Additional effort and investments are needed to promote mental health

The current context has called for more work to: provide support to frontline staff; improve communication with patients, families, hospital staff and service providers; and distribute comprehensive information and advice regarding mental well-being to allay fear and apprehension among the public, using the multiple means of dissemination available.

Past achievements and recent changes augur well for more widespread developments that will permeate the whole mental-health system and enrich the delivery of quality mental-health services to patients and families. It is Malta’s aim that these services will have a continued focus on low-income families, disadvantaged groups and high-risk individuals whereby the stigma and discrimination associated with mental disorders will be eliminated from Maltese society.

For the above reasons, the Office of the Commissioner for Mental Health has devoted this year’s World Mental Health Day to calling for further investment in mental health in Malta, celebrating achievements made in this area and promoting developments in mental health and well-being. In the words of WHO, “Unless we make serious commitments to scale up investment in mental health right now, the health, social and economic consequences will be far-reaching.”